Austin nonprofit provides free open-heart surgery for 2-year-old
AUSTIN (KXAN) — An Austin pediatrician assisted in bringing a Ugandan boy and his mother to the United States for an open heart surgery, nonprofit HeartGift Foundation said in a release.
HeartGift helps connect children from around the world with free heart surgeries with congenital heart defects. Dr. Lori Hines traveled to Uganda to bring two-year-old Aaron and his mother to Austin for Aaron's procedure at Dell Children's Medical Center.
Austin pediatrician Dr. Lori Hines helped guide two-year-old open-heart patient Aaron from Uganda to Austin for heart surgery through the Austin nonprofit organization HeartGift Foundation. (Courtesy HeartGift Foundation) 
Two-year-old Aaron from Uganda, pictured with his parents. (Courtesy HeartGift Foundation) 
Two-year-old Aaron is an open-heart-surgery recipient through the Austin-based nonprofit organization HeartGift Foundation. (Courtesy Jama Pantel) 
Two-year-old Aaron is an open-heart-surgery recipient through the Austin-based nonprofit organization HeartGift Foundation. (Courtesy Jama Pantel) 
Austin pediatrician Dr. Lori Hines helped guide two-year-old open-heart patient Aaron from Uganda to Austin for heart surgery through the Austin nonprofit organization HeartGift Foundation. (Courtesy HeartGift Foundation) 
Two-year-old Aaron is an open-heart-surgery recipient through the Austin-based nonprofit organization HeartGift Foundation. (Courtesy HeartGift Goundation) 
Austin pediatrician Dr. Lori Hines helped guide two-year-old open-heart patient Aaron from Uganda to Austin for heart surgery through the Austin nonprofit organization HeartGift Foundation. (Courtesy HeartGift Foundation) 
Austin pediatrician Dr. Lori Hines helped guide two-year-old open-heart patient Aaron from Uganda to Austin for heart surgery through the Austin nonprofit organization HeartGift Foundation. (Courtesy HeartGift Foundation) 
Austin pediatrician Dr. Lori Hines helped guide two-year-old open-heart patient Aaron from Uganda to Austin for heart surgery through the Austin nonprofit organization HeartGift Foundation. (Courtesy HeartGift Foundation)
Hines is a volunteer medical transporter with Samaritan's Purse, which works in partnership with HeartGift. Hines has helped host families from Uganda, Bolivia, Mongolia and Honduras over the past 13 years.
Hines works as a pediatrician at Bee Well Pediatrics in Austin, per the release. While in Austin, Aaron has had plenty of new friends in tow — Hines' four children, three dogs, a cat and a dozen chickens.
“The kids and their parents are special," Hines said in the release. "You get close with them and there are definitely tears when they are healed and go home.”
She will accompany Aaron and his mom back to Uganda during their trip home.
More details on HeartGift Foundation's work is available online.