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. |