In the fall of 2010, Lucy Sullivan traveled to Israel and took on a role as Full Time Volunteer for Save a Child’s Heart (SACH), a humanitarian aid organization based in Israel, dedicated to providing cardiac care for children from developing countries. Lucy lived in the SACH house in Azur, just outside of Tel Aviv, and spent each day working with children from all across the world. While living in the house Lucy assisted the mothers and children, from hospital trips, teaching English, completing puzzles and taking endless amounts of silly pictures. Lucy became wholly involved in the difficult and unique experience that the SACH children go through

After three months as a volunteer with SACH in Israel, Lucy returned home to Boston a dedicated ambassador to the organization. Gathering a group of young professionals in her community, Lucy is working hard to spread the SACH mission. Over 2700 children with congenital and rheumatic heart disease have been treated through the organization. In addition, SACH provides a full outreach training program in Israel for the medical personnel from its partner countries, as well as leads medical missions to these countries for screening, operating and training. Lucy had the opportunity to meet, Dr. Godwin Godfrey, a pediatric cardiac surgeon currently on a four-year fellowship inIsrael. Dr. Godfrey joined the SACH team this summer in his home country of Tanzania, climbing Mt.Kilimanjaroin a $500,000 fundraising campaign.

After a successful event launching the SACH-Boston Young Professional Committee this fall, Lucy returned to Israel and had the opportunity to visit the SACH home. She was excited to spend some time with the children and mothers in the home as it brought back wonderful memories of her experience. Upon her return Lucy shared the following story with our growing network of volunteers and young ambassadors:

“On my recent visit to SACH I had the opportunity to meet Yared, a healthy, successful, and hardworking 25 year old Ethiopian man whose life was saved by SACH back in 1997. Fourteen years later Yared returned to Israel to express his gratitude to SACH for all of their hard work. As an Ethiopian orphan Yared had a tough childhood, made even more difficult by heart complications, yet Yared has grown to become gentle, kind, and thankful. Today Yared lives in Ethiopia with his wife and daughter along with a 14 year old orphan that SACH operated on last year. With his condition SACH was fearful of sending the boy back to the orphanage and when Yared got wind of this news he welcomed the boy into his own home. Along with this young boy, Yared has helped 94 other street boys from Ethiopia with the school he opened, offering 3 meals a day, access to healthcare and positive role models. I was so humbled to meet Yared and I wait with bated breath as more SACH children grow into adults to see what wonderful things they will accomplish.”