What We Do

Our Focus

Our primary focus is on León, Nicaragua which has the most concentrated cases of rheumatic fever. However, children come from all over the country including Bluefields, Rivas, Granada, Managua, and Matagalpa.

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One of the main underlying problems concerning health in León is best noted by Dr. John Paar, “There is no shortage of needs; one only has to try to focus so as to be as effective as possible with the limited assets we have.”

Another area of focus is to remove the obstacles to eliminating rheumatic fever. The challenges faced in removing these obstacles include:

  1. Training medical professionals on rheumatic fever symptoms.
  2. Making available needed medications.
  3. Providing equipment for examination and treatment.
  4. Increasing the number of clinical (symptomatic) examinations.
  5. Development of a vaccine.

Our Goals

Our primary purpose is to provide education and general medical support and assistance to the children of Nicaragua who suffer from untreated strep throat infections and resulting disabling rheumatic fever and rheumatic heart disease. More specifically:

  • Eradicate rheumatic fever and the resulting heart damage caused in these children.
  • Prevent rheumatic fever by treatment of strep throat with antibiotics.
  • Prevent relapse and minimize heart damage by secondary treatment of children with rheumatic fever with antibiotics and anti-inflammatory medication.
  • Earlier diagnosis of children with damaged hearts by providing echo-cardiogram exams.
  • Repair damaged hearts with open heart surgery – heart valve repair.
  • Provide health information critical to the development of a vaccine to prevent strep throat.
  • Improve the overall health of the children by providing clean water, improving living conditions, education and available medical care.

These goals are a vital part of our mission. As we move forward on these goals many kids of Nicaragua will reap the benefits of the “caring hands” of the many volunteers involved with our organization.

Why We Work

WE WORK due to the many members, volunteers, and supporters who donate their time and money to help the children of Nicaragua and the communities in which they live.

Great things happen with the donations received from our supporters. 100% of the donations, whether in the form of money, labor, services, or equipment and tools goes toward the elimination of rheumatic fever. Mission trips are undertaken and project implemented to use these donations to provide practical solutions to the community’s needs. These solutions may take the form of improvements to the clinic or the building of water wells or the performance of open heart surgery on a child. These solutions and many more help to improve the quality of life for the children and their families.