The Caribbean Heart Menders Association was founded in 1994 with the goal of working with local and multinational agencies within our host countries to provide medical and surgical interventions to children with congenital and acquired heart diseases within the Caribbean.
We have since , we have extended our charitable work to include Central America, where we have provided similar services to children within Panama. Since our inception, over 380 children within neighboring countries have been the recipients of life-saving heart surgeries and interventional procedures by our teams of dedicated and committed healthcare volunteers.
CARIBBEAN HEART MENDERS ASSOCIATION MILESTONES
- 1994 – Caribbean Heart Menders was established as a not for profit 501 (c) 3organization• Founders: Dr Allan Wolpowitz and Mrs. Brenda Forrest MSN
- 1995: 37 children received life-saving cardiac surgeries at a South Florida hospital
- Due to high cost of these procedures in the United States and cultural differences between patients and caregivers, the CHMA took the strategic decision to offer these surgeries within the Caribbean
- 2003: First cardiac suite established at the Bustamante Hospital for Children; CHMA raised $100,000 to facilitate this initiative
- 2003: First surgical mission to the Dominican Republic
- 2010 – 2012: CHMA established as a stakeholder in development of a cardiac center of excellence at Bustamante Hospital for Children
- 2012 – 2014: Facilitated critical care nurse education program and
- 2013 – 2014: 3 Critical Care Nurse Educator Trained
- 2013 – 2014: Ground breaking and begin construction of cardiac center of excellence at Bustamante Hospital for Children
- 1994 – Present: > 380 cardiac surgeries and other cardiology interventions
