Healing the Children Northeast | | |
Dear Friend,
It is that time again when we like to share our activities with you to let you know where we have been during the year, and where we are going next year.
Since January of 2025, our Medical Teams Abroad Program has sent our volunteer surgical teams to Bolivia, Colombia, Peru, Ukraine and Tanzania to operate on children with cleft lips & palates and other facial deformities:
Santa Cruz, Bolivia Jan 10-18 / Cleft surgeries - 36 children operated
Cartagena, Colombia Feb 5-15 / Plastics & Cleft surgeries - 58 children operated
Ica, Peru Mar 28-Apr 5 / Cleft surgeries - 80 children operated
Santa Marta, Colombia Mar 29-Apr 5 / Burn surgeries - 42 children operated
Santa Cruz, Bolivia Apr 19-23 / Cleft & Teaching Team - 16 children operated
Ukraine May 10-18 / Plastics surgeries - 32 patients operated
Mwanza, Tanzania May 30-Jun 8 / Plastics & Teaching Team - 12 children operated
Mwanza, Tanzania Jul 12–20 / Plastics & Teaching Team - 14 children operated
Santa Marta, Colombia Oct 18–25 / Cleft surgeries - 47 children operated
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Looking forward to 2026, Healing the Children Northeast is already scheduled to go to Bolivia, Colombia, Ukraine and Peru. Our planned mission trips for 2026 are as follows:
January 17-24 Santa Cruz, Bolivia
Cleft Team
February 18-28 Cartagena, Colombia
Plastics/Cleft Team
February 28 - March 7 Santa Marta, Colombia
Hand/Burn Team
March Lviv, Ukraine
Plastic Surgery Team
April 10-18 Ica, Peru
Cleft Team
Also planned for 2026 are two trips to Tanzania, a trip to Colombia, and a dental trip to Ecuador, however dates have not yet been determined at this time. When we travel to remote sites, it is essential that we bring everything we need with us, from equipment to medical supplies, including portable anesthesia machines to sutures.
| | Cartagena, Colombia Feb 5-15 / Plastics & Cleft surgeries | | Mwanza, Tanzania Jul 12–20 / Plastics & Teaching Team | | Santa Marta, Colombia Oct 18–25 / Cleft surgeries | | |
As part of our Domestic Kids Program, Healing the Children Northeast established a Medical Career
Scholarship to give back to our local community. This annual scholarship is awarded to three New Milford High School seniors who plan to pursue a career in the medical field. The 2025 Scholarships were presented to Saverio Amelio, Gabriel Larsen, and Madison McKelvey at the New Milford High School Awards Ceremony at the end of May.
Saverio is attending University of Connecticut for the field of study in Nursing, Gabriel is attending University of Connecticut - Storrs, to study Molecular and Cellular Biology + Pre-Medicine, and Madison is attending Southern Connecticut State University, majoring in Neonatal Nursing.
Congratulations to all the 2025 Scholarship recipients!
| | Through our International Inbound Program, Healing the Children Northeast Inc. assisted Negalem in getting the care she has needed through the years. Negalem's case was an amazing undertaking from start to finish. It was 2021 during Covid-19, so even getting her to the US was difficult. Susan and Casey picked up Negalem, her father and their translator, from JFK and brought them to their hotel and gave a tutorial on light switches, the water faucet, and electric door keys, etc. Negalem had three surgeries and a dental appointment with "the works". If you search "Ethiopia Girl Tumor", lots of articles and videos come up. It has been an incredible journey of healing and hope. | | Negalem, who came back to the U.S. for multiple procedures through our International Inbound Program | | |
After the medical trip to Santa Marta, Colombia in October 2024, eight team members hiked to The Lost City (“Ciudad Perdida”), an ancient archaeological site founded around 800 AD and only accessible by jungle trek. During the trek, their guide showed them a local indigenous school. On the return trip, they visited again and met teacher Natalia Feria, who said the school’s biggest need was solar panels.
The school receives food shipments every 15 days through the government program (PAE) and supplements with crops they grow, but without refrigeration in the hot, humid climate, most food spoils quickly, leaving only rice and grains for the children. Solar-powered refrigerators would allow them to store food safely and provide proper breakfasts and lunches.
In 2025, Healing the Children Northeast raised $10,000 for solar panels for the school. With the help of UNIMA, their in-country partners, they coordinated the purchase, delivery, and installation of the panels, giving the school solar power and refrigeration. This project helps ensure the children are well-fed and reduces hunger in the community. Your support makes projects like this possible—let’s keep building brighter futures together!
| | We receive no government assistance or funding for our programs and missions. This is why it is so important to have a successful fundraising campaign. In this regard, I am asking you to please be as generous as possible. It is so very important for us so that we can continue sending our surgical, medical, and dental teams around the world. I assure you that your donation will be well spent. | | |
On behalf of the Board of Directors, I wish you and yours all the very best for this coming holiday season.
Warmest regards,
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Robert D. Ryan
President, Board of Directors
Healing the Children Northeast, Inc.
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Check out our website at www.HTCNE.org to see what’s new and exciting!
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