As the New Year approaches, we have reason to be optimistic and celebrate our work in Rwanda. This month, Rwanda approved a young potential surgeon a scholarship to travel to South Africa for general and cardiac surgery training. In April, we hope to see another young talented general surgeon travel to India for cardiac surgery training in Chennai --he would return in 2015 as a fully trained cardiac surgeon. A perfusionist returned few months ago and will work with us in February. Rwanda sent an anesthesiologist to Brussels and he will be back to work with us and has already joined Team Heart anesthesia in discussion and planning. In September, the best echo team ever, screened over 2800 at risk school age children. In November, Team Heart provided a scholarship and the clinical experience for a Rwandan born sonographer to finish a 6 month US training program--he returns home to Kigali in January. Egidia spent two months in Rwanda as the first ever Team Heart BWH Global Nurse Scholar working toward completing a follow-up of the patients having valve surgery in the past 4 years to evaluate outcomes with our Rwanda Colleagues.

And most importantly, we have done it for the right reasons--because we care about the people and the country we have grown to love. We see our patients doing well and although some struggling to make a living, those thriving are supporting the others, some emotionally, some financially. All of this would have never have happened without the support of volunteers working in partnership with the Rwandan team....and it would not happen without the generous financial support of you! We appreciate you end of year donations....