Doctors from the Save a Child’s Heart organization were honored this week by the United Nations for their crucial work in carrying out the delicate surgery on diseased hearts needed to keep small children alive.
The organization, based in the Tel Aviv suburb of Holon, is credited with saving the lives of thousands of Arab children, including more than 2,000 from the Palestinian Authority and Gaza, as well as those from 57 other nations.
Accepting the UN Population Award on Tuesday for the organization was co-founder Dr. Sion Houri and two fellow physicians.
“Our activity is international, non-political and non-religious,” said Houri. The doctors have performed life-saving surgeries on nearly 5,000 children since the organization started more than 20 years ago.
At the present time, 44 small patients are admitted at the Wolfson Medical Center in Holon, where they are receiving treatment free of charge.