Gift of Life International

(Aired on July 4 and 5, 2020)

Rob Raylman, CEO of Gift of Life International and 2020-21 president of the Manhasset Rotary Club, visits RadioRotary on Zoom to discuss the latest projects of the humanitarian organization that he heads. The purpose of Gift of Life International is to treat children with heart disease and where necessary to provide nutritional assistance to recovering children. Originally children were brought to the US for pediatric surgery, but since 2009 Gift of Life International has focused largely on creating “Core Programs” that develop regional centers in emerging nations, which, when they are ready, become “Legacy Programs” that are backed by the country’s national government and a working pediatric hospital. Gift of Life International began as an idea raised at a lunch at the Manhasset Rotary just 13 years ago, although Gift of Life missions go back to 1975. The medical staff and their helpers are all volunteers, while the main costs of the operations and training are borne by The Rotary Foundation, mostly through global grants. The Legacy Programs become self-sustaining and also improve the economy of an emerging nation.

Learn More:
Gift of Life International: https://www.giftoflifeinternational.org/
Manhasset Rotary Club on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/manhassetrotary/
The Rotary Foundation: https://www.rotary.org/en/about-rotary/rotary-foundation