This Project is ran by Dr. Yakov Elgudin, MD, PhD, FACS - a cardiothoracic surgeon from the University Hospitals in Cleveland, Ohio together with the Russian American Medical Association.

The project is supported by the International Children's Heart Foundation and Russian Gift of Life Foundation. 

We are planning our 3rd medical mission to the city of  Kemerovo, Russia in January of 2010. A team of cardiac surgeons, cardiologists, anesthesiologists, OR and ICU nurses is planning to spend 2 weeks performing 15-20 surgeries on patients with congenital heart disease, conducting hands-on teaching and didactic sessions on the subject of Pediatric Cardiac Surgery. 

Contact information:    ramadoctors@gmail.com

Please, contact Yakov Elgudin, MD or Boris Vinogradsky, MD if you have more questions.

Dear All,

It is with great pleasure that I am reporting to you that the second humanitarian mission organized by the Russian American Medical Association in cooperation with the International Children's Heart Foundation and the Russian Gift of Life Foundation to the city of Kemerovo, Siberia had been completed successfully!

A group of doctors, nurses, and volunteers spent two weeks in Kemerovo. Almost 20 operations were performed on patients with congenital and acquired heart defects; over 50 patients with complex and uncertain diagnoses were seen and consulted; 19 lectures and multiple clinical and practical seminars were delivered for the audience of physicians from all over the Kemerovo's region; Children's Hospital #4 in Novokuznetsk was visited for lectures and patients' consultations.

 The mission attracted a lot of attention from the local and regional administration and the media. At the end of this mission an agreement between RAMA, Administration of the Kemerovo Region, and Kemerovo Cardiology and Cardiac Surgery Center was signed, defining the first such an agreement of RAMA with local governments in Russia. There is also an agreement pending between RAMA, Kemerovo Center of Cardiology and Kemerovo Regional Psychiatric Hospital in regard to perioperative evaluation, treatment and follow-up on patients with congenital heart disease and their families.

A full report on the mission will follow shortly; there is a large amount of pictures and video materials including the story aired on the Kemerovo's regional and Russia's national program "Vesti".

I would like to thank you all for your support and help in organizing this mission!!!

"YES WE CAN!!!"

Thank you!

Yakov Elgudin, MD

Russian American Medical Association