Rachel's Story - A Thoracic Surgery Foundation Grant Saves the Life of a Rwandan Woman

Surgical Outreach Mission Awards are among the programs offered by The Thoracic Surgery Foundation, the charitable arm of The Society of Thoracic Surgeons.

For the past 10 years, Dr. Chip Bolman (University of Vermont) and his wife have been traveling to Rwanda to perform heart surgery on those in need and train locals to build a sustainable heart program.

On his most recent trip, Dr. Bolman met up with a woman named Rachel, whom he operated on in 2016. Rachel developed heart disease because of untreated strep throat. Because of the surgery, she is doing well and thriving today.