Mission of the World Children's Transplant Fund

The World Children's Transplant Fund (WCTF) is a unique and special organization. Our mission is to provide as many opportunities as possible for lifesaving pediatric transplant surgery to children of the world.

Our history began in 1987 with Mark Kroeker, WCTF Founder/Chairman of the Board. He met an Argentine physician who told him about Veronica Arguello, an eleven-year-old girl dying of idiopathic cirrhosis of the liver. Transplant technology did not exist in Argentina at that time. Chief Kroeker brought Veronica and her family to the U.S. where fundraising efforts collected a sufficient amount for Veronica to be placed on the waiting list. He then enlisted the help of the Hospital for Sick Children and Dr. Ricardo Superina in Toronto to perform the operation.

In March 1988 a liver became available and Veronica underwent surgery. Her body rejected the organ. In a matter of hours another transplant was performed, again with no success. On March 6, 1988, a third and final liver transplant was performed. Veronica did not survive. Her mother asked Chief Kroeker to continue his efforts to help children like Veronica so that her death would not be in vain. In September 1988 he founded the WCTF.

WCTF's mission since then has been focused on establishing World Children's Transplant Centers in regional site locations of key population centers around the world. Our goal is to assist nations in developing and then sustaining independent pediatric organ transplant programs. Coordinating and sharing of our medical resources enables children of lesser developed countries access to the chance which children of the United States routinely have...the chance for life.

The Strategy of the World Children's Transplant Fund focuses on developing World Children's Transplant Centers attached to preexisting medical facilities in each of the selected site locations.

The site locations are selected by The World Children's Transplant Funds' Medical Board of Advisors. These physicians visit and research prospective centers to determine the best equipped facilities for introduction and/or expansion of pediatric organ transplantation. Regional site locations are selected based on the following:

• Preexisting level of surgical competence in organ transplantation.
• Preexisting level of regional medical technology available in the organ transplant field.
• Geographic location and accessibility factor for outlying regions.
• Extent of populace needs for organ transplantation.

The first step in establishing a World Children's Transplant Center is to sign a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with the chosen hospital. A MOA is a legal agreement signed by the WCTF, and the existing hospital, outlining the responsibilities of both parties to the Foundation's goal.

Once a MOA has been signed, The World Children's Transplant Center becomes a nonprofit foundation under the law of each nation. The foundation then serves as an auxiliary of the World Children's Transplant Fund.

A Director is selected to run each center under the direction of the World Children's Transplant Fund. The responsibilities of the Director lie in overseeing regional office operations, establishing regional public awareness campaigns, and conducting community fund-raising efforts to support the WCTF Development Triad as described below:

TRAINING:

The Training component incorporates the development of human resources including surgeons, support staff, coordinators, and ancillary organ procurement personnel. This component develops the education necessary to perform pediatric organ transplants by allowing for hands on surgical experience in all areas of organ transplantation. Seminars, conventions, congresses, periodicals, and tapes are also covered through training.

TECHNOLOGY:

The Technology component includes establishing fully operational pediatric organ transplant centers. This is accomplished through the acquisition of necessary medical and technical equipment utilized in pediatric organ transplant surgery. The Technology component further includes: 

• Regional organ procurement software to provide a network for donor matching and organ sharing through an automated telecommunication organ and donor registry.
• International satellite communication between regional pediatric transplant facilities and the United States, to provide for efficient audio-visual training and the transfer of technology and communications.

TEACHING:

The Teaching component includes the Public Awareness Campaign designed to educate the populace regarding pediatric organ transplantation. This component further includes publicity through print, radio, television, on-line services, and other audio-visual mediums.

Since its incorporation in September of 1988, the World Children's Transplant Fund has secured two operational World Children's Transplant Centers in Argentina and Costa Rica.

BUENOS AIRES, ARGENTINA HOSPITAL ITALIANO:

Executive Director: Cristina Carreras de Palmero

The Hospital Italiano is a full service private hospital providing advanced pediatric facilities. This hospital has pre-existing surgical competence in kidney and heart transplant procedures.

The first fully operational World Children's Transplant Center was established on January 10, 1990 at the Hospital Italiano in Buenos Aires, Argentina. According to physicians at the Hospital Italiano, no pediatric liver organ transplantation was being performed in Argentina before 1990. Reports from the Hospital further indicate that little to no pediatric organ transplant activity in kidney, heart, lung, or bone marrow took place prior to 1985.

In the six years since the World Children's Transplant Fund opened its center in Buenos Aires, Argentina hundreds of successful organ transplants have been performed and the rate of survivability has increased.

Since January 1991, the World Children's Transplant Fund has contributed or facilitated the acquisition of:

• More than $30,000 worth of surgical training to the Hospital Italiano Buenos Aires, Argentina.
• More than $10,000 worth of Medical and Technical equipment to the Hospital Italiano, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
• More than $15,000 worth of cyclosporine to the Hospital Italiano, Buenos Aires, Argentina.

SAN JOSE, COSTA RICA -- HOSPITAL NACIONAL DE NINOS

Executive Director: Elizabeth Rojas de Cordero The National Children's Hospital of Costa Rica is a public hospital fully dedicated to pediatric care and recently renovated for earthquake resistance. This hospital has a preexisting surgical competence in both kidney and bone marrow transplant procedures.

In March 1991 the second World Children's Transplant Center officially opened at the National Children's Hospital of San Jose, Costa Rica. Last year we secured a shelter house that has housed two children, an 11-year-old lung transplant patient and a 10-month old bone marrow transplant patient, along with an office. Plans for renovations in the house are presently underway. As is the case in Buenos Aires, Argentina many children have been helped through our support. The WCTF hopes to utilize the World Children's Transplant Center in San Jose as the hub for all pediatric organ transplant activity in Central America.

Since March, 1991, the World Children's Transplant Fund has contributed or facilitated the acquisition of:

• More than $20,000 worth of surgical training to the National Children's Hospital of San Jose.
• More than $200,000 worth of Medical and Technical equipment to the National Children's Hospital of San Jose.
• More than $14,000 worth of cyclosporine to the National Children's Hospital of San Jose.

Program development efforts continue in our centers in Argentina and Costa Rica. In addition we are expanding to Armenia while also pursuing Russia, Mexico, and a refocused campaign to expand programs within the United States. In order for the WCTF to give its "seal of approval" to a World Children's Transplant Center in a foreign country we must identify ways to meet the following criteria:

• We must secure funding in the sum of $100,000 U.S. This will cover the first three years cost for director's fee, doctor's training, travel, administration, communication and equipment review. The WCTF will work very closely with said country in the procurement of funding, hopefully, from the country's ethnic community here in the United States. The WCTF can not assume the total responsibility of raising these funds on their behalf. Naturally, credit for raising these funds will be appropriately promoted to those responsible. The WCTF requests the names of local contacts here in Los Angeles who can start working with us as the easiest first step.
• We must execute a Memorandum of Agreement.
• Formation of a Board of Directors made up of U.S. and country members to oversee the Center's operation.
• Hiring of a bi-lingual Executive Director.
• Cooperative arrangement with the identified Children's Hospital including free office space on site or in close proximity.
• Commitment to build/purchase a Veronica House, a multi-use facility where children awaiting transplant surgery and their families can stay comfortably. This unique "home" will also serve as a library/conference center for doctors to study and exchange the latest information in the field of organ transplantation. Additionally, the Veronica House will be a communications center for patient and donor matching, using an advanced computer system linked across the globe.
• Establish WCTF as a non-profit foundation under the laws of said country. This includes the use of the WCTF logo and operational guidelines.

Needless to say, the nature of these efforts requires substantial economic support. In addition, the demands on these resources are far exceeded by our ability to meet all the needs of the children. We, therefore, encourage any and all types of financial sponsorship. Working together we look forward to the day when the opportunity for life-saving organ transplants to children of the world is the norm not the exception. If you would like to contribute to the efforts of the WCTF please call 818-905-WCTF or e-mail us by clicking through to our contact page.

Your kindness will be remembered in the smile of a child.