Ugandan Children Receive Life-Saving Treatment For Heart Defects At Children's National Medical Center

Ugandan Children Receive Life-Saving Treatment For Heart Defects At Children's National Medical Center

Through partnership with Samaritan's Purse and Gift of Life, patients travel to United States **Media Note: Patients will be at Children's National for farewell visit on Tuesday, February 24**

Washington, DC --On February 12, two Ugandan children received life-saving procedures at Children's National Medical Center (http://www.childrensnational.org/?utm_source=pressrelease&utm_medium=2_23&utm_campaign=uganda) to correct severe heart defects. Without cardiac surgery, the young boys would likely have died before adulthood, but they now have a normal life expectancy.

As part of the Phase I of a global initiative to bring attention to the health needs of Ugandan children, 15-month-old Daniel Kamaramasu and 2 ½-year-old Allan Wassanyi traveled 5,000 miles to receive treatment unavailable at home. Daniel, who was born with a blocked valve between his heart and lungs, was successfully treated using a cardiac catheterization balloon procedure by Michael Slack, MD (http://www.childrensnational.org/FindADoctor/Doctor_Marqui.aspx?DocId=470&Name=Michael%20Slack?utm_source=pressrelease&utm_medium=2_23&utm_campaign=uganda). Allan, who had a very large hole in his heart, underwent successful open heart surgery by Richard Jonas, MD (http://www.childrensnational.org/FindADoctor/Doctor_Marqui.aspx?DocID=1195&Name=Richard%20Jonas?utm_source=pressrelease&utm_medium=2_23&utm_campaign=uganda).

The boys came to Children's National through a partnership with international relief organization Samaritan's Purse, Gift of Life International (GOLI), and other organizations. Through this partnership, pediatric cardiologist Craig Sable, MD (http://www.childrensnational.org/FindADoctor/Doctor_Marqui.aspx?DocId=424&Name=Craig%20Sable?utm_source=pressrelease&utm_medium=2_23&utm_campaign=uganda) has led seven medical missions to Uganda in an effort to provide treatment for patients and ultimately build a sustainable cardiac surgery program in Uganda. More than 100 children have received life-saving treatment since the program began in 2003.

"With the dedication of organizations like Samaritan's Purse and Gift of Life, patients from around the world have access to the expert pediatric care that is available to children in the United States," said Dr. Sable.

Added Cindy Bonsall, director of Samaritan's Purse's Children's Heart Project: "We're glad this partnership has enabled so many Ugandan children to receive the cardiac care they deserve. We're glad they will be returning home soon with a second chance at life."

A key component of the missions to Uganda has been training Ugandan surgeons. Through training provided by Dr. Sable and colleagues, Ugandan surgeons are now on the verge of doing simple cardiac procedures on their own. Dr. Sable directs the Telemedicine Program at Children's National, which provides training and educational opportunities around the world.

The groups have joined forces to implement "Our Hearts Are In Uganda," which will focus all of GOLI's efforts in Uganda. The first phase of the program included treatment for Daniel, Allan, and three other children at hospitals in the United States. The next phase will bring 25 more Ugandan children to hospitals throughout the world to receive life-saving treatment for heart defects.

"We have saved the lives of more than 10,000 children, and through this partnership, we hope to expand our reach, to ultimately create a program in Uganda to ensure that all the children have access to the medical care they need," said Lou del Rosario, vice chairman of GOL District 7230, who was instrumental in raising funds for Allan's operation.

MEDIA NOTE: The patients will be returning to Children's National for a farewell visit on Tuesday, February 24. The patients and Dr. Craig Sable will be available for interviews. Contact Emily Dammeyer or Jenn Leischer at 202-476-4500.

About Children's National Medical Center (http://www.childrensnational.org/about/?utm_source=pressrelease&utm_medium=2_23&utm_campaign=uganda)

Children's National Medical Center, located in Washington, DC, is a proven leader in the development of innovative new treatments for childhood illness and injury. Children's has been serving the nation's children for more than 135 years. Children's National is proudly ranked among the best pediatric hospitals in America by US News & World Report and the Leapfrog Group. For more information, visit www.childrensnational.org.

About Samaritan's Purse

Samaritan's Purse identifies children needing life-saving heart treatment through its' Children's Heart Project. The international relief organization identifies children overseas who need heart surgery, matches them with hospitals and specialists willing to donate their time and services, places them with a local host family, and arranges international travel and an interpreter. More than 550 children from nine countries have been brought to North America for medical and surgical care not available in their home countries.

About Gift of Life International

Gift of Life is a Rotary based program in more than 50 Rotary Clubs and Districts on 6 continents. GOLI aims to save as many children's lives as possible by providing life saving open heart surgery to children from infancy to 18 years of age with congenital heart defects. GOLI has been responsible for saving more than 10,000 lives during the past 33 years.

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Contact Information Emily Dammeyer

Children's National Medical Center

http://www.childrensnational.org

202-476-4500

Growing Sound Launches Website Selling Children's Music Promoting Social Emotional Developmental

Growing Sound Launches Website Selling Children's Music Promoting Social Emotional Developmental

Growing Sound has recently launched an e-commerce website to distribute its music that helps children get ready for school and ready for life. The website, located at shop.childreninc.org, is dedicated to early child development through children's music for education. Growing Sound encourages social emotional development for children ages 0-8. For the launch Growing Sound is offering a onetime discount of 20% off your entire order. Just enter LAUNCH09 as the coupon code when you check out for your discount.

Covington, KY (PRWEB) February 23, 2009 -- Children, Inc. one of the largest providers of high quality child care in the State of Kentucky, announces the launch of its new website dedicated to helping children learn. The site, called Growing Sound, offers downloadable children's music that encourages social emotional development for new born to grade school age children. The songs featured on the site are specifically designed to stimulate growth in all areas of a child's life, especially those with developmental and behavioral concerns. Visit http://shop.childreninc.org for more information.

In order to further their mission and provide a valuable resource to parents and educators, Children, Inc. has recently launched the e-commerce social venture Growing Sound located at shop.childreninc.org. Growing Sound, is a brand new, one-of-a-kind resource providing parents with children's music (http://shop.childreninc.org) that incorporate findings from child development research. There are songs for infants to school age children written and produced by Cincinnati talent and CCM graduate David Kisor who has vast experience with impactful children's songs. For the launch of this wonderful parent resource, Growing Sound is offering a 20% discount off your entire order now through the end of March. Just enter in the coupon code LAUNCH09 when you check out for your discount.

Growing Sound is an on-going celebration of positive growth through songs, books and videos. Children have fun singing while parents help their children develop skills for school readiness. Growing Sound enhances every child's natural growth and development and is also useful for children who have developmental and behavioral concerns. The materials stimulate growth in all areas of the child's life; including social-emotional skills, learning skills, and literacy.

Growing Sound songs, books and videos are available in traditional formats as well as electronic downloads, making them easy to use at home, in the car and at school. The Growing Sound songs can be purchased and downloaded immediately from shop.childreninc.org. Or, if you prefer, a CD can be mailed to you.

Tom Lottman, Deputy Director of Children, Inc. and Director of Growing Sound, states that, "Music is a powerful learning tool. Early in life children internalize powerful 'self-talk' about themselves, other people and the world in general. This self-talk can be very positive or very negative. Through positive self-talk songs like, 'I Can Do It,' we help children internalize self-talk of confidence and competence."

"A growing body of research confirms the relationship between high quality preschool and later success in school and in life... the process of listening to music could be a way that the brain sharpens its ability to sustain attention." -- Stanford University School of Medicine, July 2007.

About Children, Inc.

Children, Inc., located in Covington, KY, has been providing services to develop more effective families, classrooms and communities for more than thirty years. Children, Inc. aims to get children "Ready for School and Ready for Life." Children, Inc. provides day care services including child care (http://www.childreninc.org) for children in a variety of settings, partners with families to extend these developmental experiences and collaborates with the community to create opportunities that strengthen all families. In order to further this mission, the non-profit decided to make its musical products available to parents through new avenues. Historically the organization has worked with schools, teachers, childcare centers, and the Kaplan Early Learning Company to distribute the educational songs (http://shop.childreninc.org) to professional educators and mental health professionals.

In order to make the products available to parents, Children, Inc. decided to create shop.childreninc.org for distribution. Individuals looking for products that do more than just entertain children can purchase items at shop.childreninc.org. Log on and listen to a clip of a song like 'It's up to Me' and then enter your information and you can purchase the song or the entire album. Visitors to the site can also read about the research that helps to form the songs. Parents can use the products and songs found at Growing Sound to help establish Confidence, Belonging, Motivation and Self-control in young children.

Contact:

Jordan Huizenga

Children, Inc.

859.431.2075

http://www.childreninc.org

Visit www.childreninc.org to find out more about Growing Sound and Children, Inc and our early childhood education.

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Contact Information Jordan Huizenga

Growing Sound

http://shop.childreninc.org

8594312075