GIFT OF LIFE

The GIFT OF LIFE PROGRAM has saved over 8,000 needy children , from more than sixty countries throughout the world, healing their children with life-threatening heart conditions. Opportunity to receive necessary treatment. Our program was conceived within the worldwide service organization, Rotary International, and consists today of largely locally-administered efforts, in towns, counties, and regions throughout the USA and a growing number of countries around the world.

The concept was launched in 1974 when the Manhasset, NY Rotary Club answered a request for help from the Kampala Rotary Club in Uganda. The response brought five-year old Grace Agwaru on a 5,000-mile journey from Uganda to Long Island, NY. The following year, the Manhasset Rotary's youth group, the Interact Club of Manhasset, duplicated the action of its parent club by bringing twelve-year old Robinah Nakabuye on the same journey. Both Grace and Robinah received this miracle of a second lease on life, and had the story ended there it would truly have been wonderful. But instead, the successes experienced with Grace and Robinah inspired others to rescue many more, and the GIFT OF LIFE was born

What began as a simple response to help one small girl from a distant country has today developed into a dynamic movement involving not only thousands of Rotarians and their families, but countless people from other community-based service and fraternal organizations, including numerous American ethnic community groups. The success the program today enjoys owes to its humanitiarian appeal on a "grassroots" level with direct "people-to-people" contact.

With its international reputation, the GIFT OF LIFE has received wide attention in the media. As a result, a number of American ethnic community groups have come forward to work with local Rotary organizations involved in fund-raising, hospitality support and other activities. Their love and dedication to the program, have made the stays in America of the children and their parents or guardians truly pleasant and memorable.

Over the past quarter century ailing children, from infancy to eighteen years of age have been sponsored by Clubs and Districts throughout the Rotary World. They have come from Uganda, Kenya, Zimbabwe, Nigeria, South Africa, Greece, Italy, Portugal, Ireland, Poland, Mexico, Panama, Guyana, Columbia, Ecuador, Honduras, Peru, Trinidad, St. Kitts, Belize, Dominican Republic, Venezuela, South Korea, Philippines, Jamaica, West Indies, India, Sri Lanka, Romania, El Salvador, Ukraine, Russia, China and elsewhere.

The program is funded through contributions and other fund-raising initiatives. As part of those efforts, the Gift of Life recognizes Save-A-Child sponsors, who contribute $5,000 or more, to help offset costs for saving one child. (See "Save-A-Child" for more details.)

The GIFT OF LIFE is a nonprofit, tax-exempt corporation, the majority of whose Board of Directors and members are active Rotarians. The primary purpose of this program is to help needy children recieve corrective heart surgery at Gift of Life Participating Hospitals. The program reaches youngsters throughout the world, including the United States.