Miracle, 9, becomes 9,000th patient helped by Save a Child’s Heart

Nine-year-old Miracle Nkanda from Malawi has become the 9,000th child to receive life-saving heart surgery through the Israeli charity Save A Child’s Heart, the organization says.

Nkanda was born with a complex congenital heart condition that could only be corrected through an operation not available in the southeastern African country. She came to Israel with a nurse but without her family for surgery at the Sylvan Adams Children’s Hospital at Wolfson Medical Center.

“I am happy that the surgery was a success,” says Dr. Lior Sasson, SACH’s lead surgeon. “Being able to treat so many children from 75 different countries is a wonderful accomplishment for Save a Child’s Heart.”

Nkanda’s journey also highlights SACH’s growing partnership with Malawi, which began in 2019. To date, 22 children from Malawi have been brought to Israel for life-saving care.

The Israeli humanitarian organization was founded in 1995 to treat children where access to pediatric cardiac care is limited or nonexistent, largely in Africa. Some children fly to Israel for surgeries; Israeli medical teams also travel to Africa to perform heart surgeries and assist local doctors.

Save A Child’s Heart also runs a fellowship training program for medical professionals, primarily from Africa, who then return to their home countries to provide advanced medical services.

More than 160 doctors and nurses have participated in the program over the years.