Pediatric healthcare professionals are warmly invited to take part in this ongoing program-building venture for CardioStart. This is CardioStarts’ second mission to Hospital Nacional Noroccidental Mario Catarino Rivas in San Pedro Sula, Cortes.

We are pleased to be supported in this venture to Honduras by Helping Hands for Honduras (HHH), a non-profit charity whose mission is to assist the poor children in Honduras receive heart surgery and care.
In Honduras, cardiac surgical medical care is not yet formally available for children suffering from heart defects. Helping Hands for Honduras, Inc. (HHH) was established in the year 2000, at a time when no pediatric cardiovascular surgeons were comfortable performing children’s open-heart surgeries. Helping Hands for Honduras previously sent Honduran children to the United States for corrective heart surgery.

Their practice has now evolved to bringing surgical teams to Honduras to treat patients and train Honduran medical professionals to care for these children. In November 2016, HHH collaborated with CardioStart International to assist in treating children and young adults with congenital disease and develop a permanent dedicated pediatric heart care program in San Pedro Sula.

ABOUT SAN PEDRO SULA HONDURAS

San Pedro Sula is the second largest city in Honduras, is the main gateway into the country, and is the financial and industrial center of Honduras. The city of San Pedro functions as an important hub, with some of the best highways in Honduras.  Its Ramón Villeda Morales International Airport (also known as La Mesa), has more scheduled international flights than Tegucigalpa, and is located just 19 km (11 miles) from the center of San Pedro Sula. (San Pedro Sula’s airport code is SAP). Located in the northern part of the country, San Pedro Sula is only a few miles from the coast where the second largest Barrier Reef is located.

THE HOSPITAL

Hospital Mario Catarino Rivas (In San Pedro Sula, northern part of the country). The Hospital Nacional, Dr. Mario Catarino Rivas opened in 1989 and is also called the “Metropolitan Hospital or National Hospital”. It is the largest medical center in Honduras with 377 beds. It opened to the public in 1990 and is named for Dr. Mario Catarino Rivas, who was a prominent physician who devoted his life to the medical profession and promoted humanitarian values in medical care, without making distinctions between patients. Dr. Rivas is considered an example for future generations of Honduras.

SPONSORS

CardioStart volunteers will receive financial assistance up to $750 for their airline tickets subject to confirmation. Hotel accommodation will be provided by HHH with same-sex shared rooming expected as per CardioStarts’ usual procedure to reduce our Host’s costs.

TEAM STRUCTURE

Pediatric Surgeons (2)
Pediatric Perfusionist (1-2)
Pediatric Anesthesiologist (1) Position Filled
Pediatric Cardiologists 2 (1-Interventional)
Pediatric Heart Surgery Nurses (6)
Adult Heart Surgery Nurses (2)
Database research (1) Position Filled
CV OR Nurse/Tech (1)
Echo Technician (1)
Pediatric Catheterization Lab Nurse (1)
Pediatric Respiratory Therapist (1)
Surgery Scrub (1) Position Filled
Spanish language skills helpful but not required.

MISSION GOALS

1. Surgery
CardioStart will be performing surgical evaluation and treatment of children with congenital heart defects. Some may be valve repair or replacement cases.
2. Education
Education will be provided to local caregivers by all CardioStart Volunteers in both lecture and bedside teaching methods.
3. Invasive Cardiology
Hospital Mario Rivas has a new catheterization lab opened on our last mission. We would like to implement invasive procedures on this mission.

HOW TO APPLY

Please go to our volunteer interest form using the drop down button for Honduras.
For further questions please contact us at info@cardiostart.org