CFACH Medical Missions
At Care For A Child’s Heart (CFACH), our medical missions bring together international and local specialists to deliver lifesaving cardiac surgeries for children with congenital heart defects (CHD) in Kenya. Each year, CFACH partners with hospitals such as Coast General Teaching and Referral Hospital, Kenyatta National Hospital, M.P. Shah Hospital, Avenue Hospital, Tenwek Mission Hospital and others across East Africa to expand access to pediatric cardiac care.
In 2024, CFACH reached a new milestone by completing 73 surgeries and 12 cardiac catheterizations, providing 253 clinical reviews, dispensing 236 essential medications as well as hosting 128 families at our Family Support Center. The year also marked a historic achievement with East Africa’s first Nikaidoh heart surgery, which gave 5-year-old Sahara a new chance at life. So far in 2025, CFACH has already completed over 39 procedures with plans underway for three more medical missions before the end of the year.
For the very first time, in April 2025, CFACH hosted a Fundraising Gala in Houston at the Lakes at Countryplace where we raised money for the children on the waiting list. With the support of our global volunteers, local medical professionals and generous partners, CFACH is on course to treat more children in 2025 than ever before, while also strengthening Kenya’s pediatric cardiac care system for the future.
How Our Medical Missions Work
Each stage of the mission is designed to ensure that children receive the highest standard of cardiac care, while empowering local healthcare teams to sustain this impact.
Global Collaboration
CFACH's medical missions are powered by volunteer clinicians from around the world, including pediatric cardiac surgeons, anesthetists, cardiologists, and nurses. These professionals work alongside local healthcare teams, sharing their skills and expertise while performing surgeries. This collaboration not only saves lives but also enhances the capacity of Kenyan hospitals to manage pediatric heart conditions independently.
Patient Selection & Preparation
Before each mission, CFACH partners with local doctors to identify children in need of surgery through rigorous screening and diagnostic processes. Patients are selected based on the urgency and complexity of their heart defects. CFACH covers all associated costs, including diagnostics, travel, and accommodation for families.
Life-Saving Surgeries
During each mission, the medical teams perform complex heart surgeries using cutting-edge techniques. In a typical mission, over 40 surgeries can be conducted in just a few weeks, transforming the lives of children who would otherwise have limited access to this level of care.
Capacity Building
One of the key goals of CFACH missions is to strengthen the local healthcare infrastructure. International volunteers provide hands-on training to Kenyan doctors, nurses, and technicians, ensuring that the knowledge and skills remain long after the mission ends. This sustainable approach enables local teams to eventually perform surgeries independently.
Follow-Up Care
CFACH is committed to long-term outcomes. After surgery, children receive follow-up care and medications, ensuring their recovery is successful. Families are also provided with accommodation at the CFACH Family Support Center during and after treatment.
Medical Missions and Capacity Building
Our work relies heavily on the contributions of international medical mission teams. In collaboration with volunteer surgeons, anaesthesiologists and perfusionists from Italy, Saudi Arabia, India and the United States, CFACH organizes mission trips during which up to 2-3 surgeries are performed each day.
These missions are supported by organizations like the Emirates Airlines Foundation, which generously provides airfare for medical teams, and partners like Medtronics, Medical Bridges and Nuvance Health who donate essential medical supplies. Each mission requires intensive ICU monitoring and postoperative care, provided by trained Kenyan nurses and intendivists, whose skills have been enhanced through CFACH-led training programs.
We have also been fortunate to receive donations of state-of-the-art medical equipment, which has significantly upgraded the quality of care available in Kenya. Through this work, we are helping to build sustainable medical capacity, training local healthcare professionals, and conducting research that will contribute to better outcomes for children with heart defects.
Volunteer with us
If you're a medical professional eager to make a difference, we welcome you to join our mission. Our volunteers find the experience deeply rewarding, as they help save lives while contributing to the long-term development of cardiac care in Kenya.
Together, we can create a brighter future for children. Volunteer with us!
To apply for a volunteer position with CFACH, please fill out the corresponding Google Form provided below. If you have any questions or require further information, please feel free to email us at [email protected] or call us on+254786306415.