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May 2024: transfers of sick children begin in Spain
To reduce the number of children waiting for life-saving surgery, La Chaîne de l'Espoir is extending its program.
In addition to the transfers of sick children that have taken place in France since the creation of La Chaîne de l’Espoir in 1994, children suffering from heart disease are now also transferred to Spain for medical treatment. The aim of this geographical extension of our children’s program is to increase the number of patients operated on, so as to continue to reduce waiting lists. Explanations.
A partnership with Fundación Tierra de hombres España
Originally from Togo, 2-year-old Ritale left her homeland on May 14, 2024. Suffering from a serious heart condition – an interventricular septal defect – she urgently needed surgery. The only difference with the child transfers that La Chaîne de l’Espoir usually carries out is Ritale’s country of destination.
In fact, the little girl landed in Spain, not France.
This “originality” is the result of a new partnership between our association and the Fundación Tierra de hombres España. This organization promotes the development of children by defending their rights, without discrimination on political, racial, religious or gender grounds.
Little Ritale will be followed by another child in a few days’ time, and a third child will arrive in Spain at the beginning of June. A total of 10 sick children will be transferred to Spain in 2024.
Why extend the childcare program?
With this new partnership, La Chaîne de l’Espoir aims to further reduce the number of children waiting for life-saving surgery. In some countries, such operations are all too often impossible:
- Or local medical and paramedical teams are insufficiently trained,
- Either there are not enough healthcare professionals,
- Either the local health structures are not adapted to the management of cardiac pathologies
As with the transfers of sick children to France and La Réunion, these transfers to Spain are made possible thanks to the support of our partner, Aviation Sans Frontières. Volunteers from this NGO accompany the children on commercial flights to France and now Spain, as well as back to their home countries after surgery and convalescence.
