Our Mission

Founded in 2005, Heartbeat - La Chaîne de l’Espoir is a Lebanese humanitarian association
with the mission to treat children born with heart disease by providing the highest level
of surgical technology and expertise available.





THE FACTS

Congenital heart defects [CHD] are problems with the heart structure existing at birth.

  • CHD occur in 1 out of 100 newborns and are the first cause of death before the age of 1 year.
  • If treated, 95% of the babies survive, and go on to lead a normal life.
  • 600 babies are born each year in Lebanon with heart disease and might not see their 1st birthday.

facts & figures

THE PROBLEM

Some underprivileged children in Lebanon are condemned to die due to lack of funds

All children do not have access to the same standards of care because of social inequalities. Insurance companies rarely cover birth defects, while public organizations require the family to put up a big contribution. The financial problem becomes an obstacle to the adequate treatment of these children.



HEARTBEAT'S INTERVENTION

We believe that a lack of fund should never prevent a child with heart disease from being treated properly.
We operate by:

  • Covering all related treatment costs from the moment the child comes under our care. This includes diagnosis of the condition, treatment and follow-up.
  • Collaborating with dedicated specialists at Hotel-Dieu de France hospital in Lebanon to offer a full range of treatment through the highest level of surgical and medical expertise.

HOW IT OFFICIALY STARTED

Noticing the increasing need for financial help among the Lebanese community, medical doctors at Hotel-Dieu de France hospital in Beirut approached La Chaîne de l’Espoir (The Chain of Hope).

This large network of international associations has offices in several capitals in Europe and America. Each association works independently but all are united by their values and one single mission: To work continuously so that the chain of life doesn’t stop.

  • “Heartbeat – La Chaine de l’Espoir” was officially recognized as a non-profit association in Lebanon on April 19, 2005, under permit N° 118/AD issued by decree of the Minister of Interior Affairs, N° 14323.
  • A considerable number of volunteers from all walks of life joined Heartbeat.

OUR VISION

  • Decrease child mortality rate by providing the necessary funds and adequate treatment to children with CHD.
  • Advance the research in the area of CHD in Lebanon.
  • Become a regional reference for children with CHD.

OUR VALUES

Equality

Treat children regardless of their gender, race, religion and community

Quality

Deliver a high quality of care and of musical events

Transparency

Be honest and accountable with everyone we work with

HOW IT WORKS

Our team of professionals comes together to handle each case carefully

  • The pediatric cardiologists and surgeons review each case and decide on the feasibility of a medical intervention.
  • The social worker looks into the financial status of the family and its medical coverage to decide on the amount of financial aid the family needs. In severe cases, we cover all of the operation’s expenses that the family is otherwise supposed to pay.
  • The budgeting, fundraising, and marketing committees work constantly to secure treatment funds.

WHY IT WORKS

We strive to operate at the lowest cost at all levels, with complete transparency.

Thanks to the trust in our mission and to the positive results witnessed over the years:

  • Hotel-Dieu de France hospital offers us offices free of charge as well as exclusive reduced medical fees to treat our patients
  • Strong relations are built with local and international donors and partners who continue to support us
  • Dedicated volunteers manage most of our operations free of charge reducing the number of employees to only 1 project manager and 1 medical coordinator.

OUR ACHIEVEMENTS

Over 3,400 lives saved! We began our activity in 2005 with the treatment of 3 children with heart disease and are currently helping 300 families every year. All types of medical procedures have been performed, including open-heart surgery for complex malformations, and state of the art cardiac catheterization.