Heart to Heart trip to Peru

In March of 2017 Mike Berenstain accompanied a group of Doctors from the Heart to Heart  that included his wife, Dr. Laura Diaz on a trip to Peru to provide life-saving heart surgeries to Peruvian Children who otherwise would not have access to such high level health-care. Upon arrival to INCOR  (the Peruvian National Hospital located in Lima) The Heart to Heart team jumped into action and was busy training the INCOR staff, participating in Lectures and presentations on various ventricular diseases, and assisting in surgeries. Meanwhile, Mike documented much of the trip in his sketchbook, capturing the team interacting with INCOR staff, prepping for surgery, and patients in recovery.

Scroll Through To see Mike’s sketches along with a few photos from the Heart to Heart trip to Lima, Peru. 

Arrival Team

 Josie Everett, Executive Director, Heart to Heart Global Cardiac Care

Arrival of Heart to Heart team to Instituto Nacional Cardiovascular (INCOR) in Lima, Peru

Getting On board

Orientation meeting, team interpereter and recent Peruvian medical graduate, Hernan Carcamo, on right

Teaching & Lecturing

 A large part of Heart to Heart's mission is teaching. Dr. Diaz lecturing with interpereter

 Daniel, interpreter and recent medical graduate

 Dr. Diaz lecturing on pediatric cardiac anesthesiology

Hernan, medical interpereter

Presentation on Types of Ventricular Septal defects (VSDs), the educational and surgical focus of this Heart to Heart mission in INCOR

Dr. Diaz Lecturing through an interpereter

Cath Lab

Cardiac cath lab view from control room

Inside cath lab

Operating Room

Medical team in the operating room, including Dr. Diaz (left) preparing for VSD surgery

Perfusion team preparing for surgery

Introduction of anesthesia preoperatively in the OR

Placement of transesophageal probe preoperatively

Cardiologist viewing echocardiography images in the OR

Surgeon observing patient prep before operation

Dr. Kirk Kanter, pediatric cardiac surgeon

Interpereter observing placement of cardiopulmonary bypass cannulas before surgeon opens heart

 INCOR pediatric cardiac surgeon

Cardiopulmonary bypass machine pumps blood and breathes for patient during surgery

Interspersed with periods of intensive activity are periods of waiting.

Interoperative scene

Prenatal Intensive Care Unit (PICU)

Daily teaching and work rounds allow discussion of each patient's progress

Nurses with picture of Madonna & Child

Patient in PICU isolette, individual heated bed for babies

Patient in PICU

Physician members of Heart to Heart team assessing patients in PICU

PICU entrance

PICU Patient

PICU Patient

PICU Patient

PICU Team awaiting arrival of patient from OR

Post-op VSD patient -looking great!

Daily rounds in PICU provide invaluable teaching opportunities

Patient Sleeping in PICU

Hospital Environs

Visiting patient rooms. These young girls with Down Syndrome wanted to try my markers.

This is their creative result.

Heart to Heart distributes teddy bears to patients

Hospital visitor in cafeteria

Hospital visitors in the cafeteria - patients from all over Peru are served by this cardiac center

INCOR balcony waiting area

INCOR main floor waiting area

Lunch at hospital cafeteria

Members of the Heart to Heart team interviewed the families of patients

Colorful shrine in INCOR waiting area

Patient visiting rooms. Forty percent of children with Down Syndrome also have cardiac defects

City Environs

Children in park, San Isidro district of Lima, the nation's capital

Embassy Row, Miraflores district of Lima

Gate M Avenida Arquipa, Arequipa district of Lima

Huaca Huallamavea Pyramid Pre-Incan temple, San Isidro District of Lima

Park in Lima with ancient olive grove, San Isidro District

Parroquia Nuestra SeNora del Pilar, San Isidro District of Lima

Lima, scene from near Heart to Heart team's hotel