Xizang children head home after life-changing heart surgeries

Twenty-two children from remote areas in the Xizang autonomous region are heading home with healthy hearts this week after undergoing free, life-changing cardiac surgeries in Zibo, Shandong province.

The medical pipeline began earlier this month during the "Tour of Angels" campaign, a joint humanitarian initiative by Shibo High-tech Hospital in Zibo and the Chinese Red Cross Foundation.

From June 2 to 10, medical teams traveled across Xizang to screen 226 children using specialized auscultation and color Doppler ultrasound imaging, identifying those in urgent need of congenital heart disease intervention.

The selected patients were flown to Shandong province on June 15 for treatment. To ease the financial burden on the families, the foundation and the hospital completely covered all surgery fees, alongside the travel and lodging costs for both the children and an accompanying parent.

"I'm so happy that I have recovered and can go home," said Gangjong Lhamo from Xizang's Ge'gyai county.

Following their operations, the children received a send-off from senior foundation officials this week as they began their return journey in good condition.

CHINA DAILY