Gift of Life is a program begun in 1974 by several American Districts of Rotary International. Since then some 6000 children from more than 36 countries have received cardiovascular life saving operations in the United States. In 1986, District Governor Arthur Scialla and other Rotarians, began the program in Northern N.J. and founded the Rotary International District 7490 Gift of Life Foundation. Currently, over 375 children have been hosted by our District for life saving heart surgery.

Children who come to the United States with heart defects are usually referred by physicians or participating groups in their home country to Rotary District Gift of Life Foundation who forward their medical information to participating hospitals. Doctors and hospitals receive a nominal fee of $6000 for the valuable services they render. After cases are approved for surgery by attending physicians, they are assigned to local Rotary Clubs, Interact Clubs or auxiliary organizations. They in turn provide any additional funds for medical care (prescriptions, etc) and host the child with a parent while they are in this county. The monies needed to finance the program are raised by the Foundation or individual Rotary Clubs.

District Foundations such as ours are responsible for administering the programs. This includes communication and coordinating with Rotary Clubs over-seas or with groups such as the Korean, Polish or Ukrainian Gift of Life in the U.S. -these organizations often provide transportation from the home country and the services of interpreters. One does not have to be a Rotarian to participate in this program. It is the District Rotary Foundation's responsibility to oversee the visit, hospital stay and safe return of the child. Volunteers and Rotarians who participate do not receive any pay for their services. The Rotary Gift of Life program has been a great success because it functions at a grass roots level with direct people to people contact between our Foundation, Clubs, hosts, medical personnel and the friends and families of our children. It promotes lasting friendships and a new understanding between participants of different nationalities.

We serve children from areas where cardiovascular procedures for children are not available. Our kids have come from Anguilla, The Dominican Republic, Armenia, Ecuador, Egypt, Kosovo, Georgia, Guatemala, Haiti, Iraq, India, Jamaica, China, Mongolia Korea, Peru, Poland, Philippines, Russia, Trinidad, Ukraine, United States, and others.

Our doctors have traveled world wide to educate local doctors in the procedures. Joseph's Children's Hospital in Paterson NJ, Montefiore Children's Hospital in Bronx NY, Deborah Heart and Lung Center in Brown Mills NJ, Newark Beth Israel Hospital in Newark NJ and Westchester Medical Center in Valhalla, NY.

Anyone interested in working with the Gift of Life in any capacity (sponsoring, hosting, donating or interpreting) please contact Chairman Andrew Topp at (973)790-7758, or e-mail GiftofLife7490@aol.com.