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Texas Children's Global Health Global Heart

<p>Global Heart</p>

Texas Children’s is building a future where every heartbeat matters.

Congenital heart disease (CHD) is the most common birth defect worldwide, affecting 1 in every 100 live births. Each year, more than 1.35 million children are born with CHD. In high-income countries, survival rates exceed 90%, but in low- and middle-income countries up to 90% of children never receive the care they need. Without intervention, these children face preventable deaths and lifelong disability. We envision a world where every child, regardless of geography, has access to timely, expert cardiac care. 

Texas Children's Global Heart is closing this gap by building sustainable pediatric cardiac care systems in partnership with local institutions and Ministries of Health. From hands-on training in Latin America to cardiology care in Africa, our teams provide mentorship, remote and in-person training, and open-access resources to empower local providers. 

What if we could give 
every child life-saving 
cardiac care?
 

 WE CAN

Give to Global Heart

Thank you for supporting the Global Heart program at Texas Children's Hospital. Your gift helps us provide life-saving care and develop training programs to treat children with challenging cardiac conditions.

Our Mission

To transform pediatric cardiovascular care for children in underserved regions worldwide by building sustainable, high-quality cardiac programs. Through mentorship, training, and capacity-building, we empower local healthcare providers to deliver life-saving care for congenital and acquired heart disease.

Unique Approach

The Global Heart Program offers a collaborative, capacity building approach to improving cardiac outcomes globally.

We work alongside local teams to strengthen and develop the care provided to patients with cardiac disease and their families. Recognizing the limited infrastructure found in low-resource settings, we aim to help create systems for cardiovascular care that are responsive to local needs and priorities. 

Capacity Building

We strengthen local expertise through a train-the-trainer model that promotes team independence. Multidisciplinary specialists from Texas Children’s Hospital provide on-site and virtual mentorship, supported by cardiac intensivists, surgeons, and educators. Twice-weekly telemedicine conferences enable complex case discussions, team-based learning, and regular case-based discussions to reinforce clinical decision-making and collaboration.

Strengthening Clinical Infrastructure

We work alongside partner institutions to conduct needs assessments and co-develop practical action plans. Our support spans protocol development, quality improvement initiatives, and simulation-based training to build sustainable clinical capacity. In addition, our teams help establish and maintain ECMO programs across Latin America, expanding access to advanced lifesaving care.

Education and Training 

Our program strengthens global education through international webinars, translated learning materials, and a growing digital library of cardiac lectures. We also offer an annual symposium, participate in the Pediatric Cardiac Intensive Care Society (PCICS), lead an international multicenter education series, and provide support for TCH Global Health residents in cardiology training.

We play a pivotal role in pediatric cardiology education of staff at Kamuzu Central Hospital. This includes leading the cardiology rotation of the pediatric registrar program at Kamuzu Central Hospital, regular lectures and bedside teaching, and hosting pediatric cardiology nursing skills workshops. In addition, we lead echocardiography workshops to train Malawian providers in echocardiography. Also, in association with the WHO‑endorsed PenPlus program, we have embarked on a mentorship program to mentor district hospital staff in diagnosing and caring for children with heart disease. We also support the cardiology education of TCH global health residents and offer an ACGME‑approved BCM/TCH pediatric cardiology fellowship rotation in Malawi.

Research

Our research partnerships support locally led studies and strengthen evidence-based care across the Network. These collaborations generate peer-reviewed publications, conference presentations, and clinical guidelines. We have an emerging globally renowned research program in Malawi. We have received NIH and foundation funding which has fueled groundbreaking research in rheumatic heart disease and acute rheumatic fever. Members of our team have served on international committees such as the American Heart Association’s Rheumatic Fever, Endocarditis, and Kawasaki Committee, as well as the AAP Committee on Global Cardiology. Our team has also played an integral role in the development of global guidelines such as the World Heart Federation’s guidelines for echocardiographic diagnosis of rheumatic heart disease.

Where We Work

Brazil 

In partnership with Children’s Heart Link, our Heart Center supports a 10-year initiative to transform Real Hospital Portugués into a center of excellence in pediatric cardiac care. Using a train-the-trainer model, our team provides education, case-based learning, and quality improvement support. This collaboration addresses critical gaps in care in one of Brazil’s most underserved regions. 

Malawi  

In addition to our research and education activities listed above, our team supports the cardiology clinic and consultation service at Kamuzu Central Hospital, Malawi’s top referral center. This is one of only two pediatric cardiology clinics in a country of over 23 million people. Our team also supports other TCH/BCM global service lines such as Global HOPE, Baylor Children’s Foundation Center of Excellence, and global surgery. The program is led by pediatric cardiologist Dr. Amy Sanyahumbi, one of only two pediatric cardiologists based in Malawi.

Mexico 

In partnership with Instituto Nacional de Pediatría (INP), ABC Hospital, and the Kardias Foundation, our Heart Center has supported the development of Mexico’s first comprehensive pediatric cardiac program. Since 2014, our team has provided technical assistance, training, and mentorship—leading to a reduction in surgical mortality from 18% to 5–6%. This decade-long collaboration is now a national benchmark, led locally by Dr. Alexis Palacios-Macedo.    

In Monterrey, our partnership with TecSalud enriches pediatric heart care through biweekly educational series and case-based discussions, strengthening clinical practice in collaboration with Tecnológico de Monterrey Medical School. 

Guatemala 

In Guatemala, the Global Pediatric Heart Center is launching a new initiative focused on strengthening pediatric cardiac care through multidisciplinary training and simulation-based education. This collaboration will equip local clinicians with hands-on skills in cardiology, critical care, and surgical readiness, building a stronger foundation for congenital and acquired heart disease management. By investing in sustainable training models, the program aims to expand local capacity and improve access to lifesaving cardiac services for children across Guatemala.

Training & Resources

Observership Program 

Each year, Texas Children’s Heart Center welcomes global partners for immersive observerships. These experiences allow clinicians to engage with our multidisciplinary care model, witness complex procedures, and return home with new skills and insights to elevate care in their communities. 

Multilingual E-Library 

We are developing a free, multilingual e-library featuring a nursing-led curriculum on cardiac care. This platform will provide evidence-based resources in multiple languages, empowering healthcare professionals worldwide. 

Leadership

Daniel Penny, M.D., Ph.D., MHA

Executive Co-Director, Heart Center  
 Professor and Chief of Pediatric Cardiology, Baylor College of Medicine  
 Lillie Frank Abercrombie Endowed Chair in Pediatric Cardiology

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Jeffrey J. Kim, MD

Chief, Pediatric Cardiology  
 Professor, Pediatrics – Cardiology, Baylor College of Medicine

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Patricia Bastero, MD

Clinical Director, Neonatal CICU  
 Medical Director, Global Heart 
 Assistant Professor in Pediatrics, Section of Critical Care Medicine (CCM), Baylor College of Medicine

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Pablo Motta, MD

 Pediatric Cardiovascular Anesthesiologist
  Associate Director, Global Heart 
  Associate Professor in Anesthesiology, Baylor College of Medicine

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Amy E. Sanyahumbi, MD, MPH

Assistant Professor in Pediatrics, Cardiology, Baylor College of Medicine

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Partners

Texas Children’s Global Health Network leads efforts that advance healthcare equity through innovative collaboration in care, education and research globally.

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