How do we find the children and how do the children find us?

In the last years we have set up different systems to identify children with heart malfunctions. Initially, the children were referred to us by the doctors from the local orphanage in Nanjing . Now also families who can‘t afford examinations or operations for their child can apply for help via Amity or the Jiangsu Provincial Hospital, who are assisting us with the assessment of the children‘s needs. Hopeful Hearts will then decide on their eligibility, seeking advice from Amity and the hospital with regards to the funding amount. For orphans, Hopeful Hearts covers all costs for surgery, hospitalization and caretaking.

However, in May 2004 the Chinese government announced a new plan called "Project Tomorrow" which aims to help orphan children with special medical needs for the next three years. If a child is eligible for funding through Project Tomorrow, the medical costs will be covered by the government. Hopeful Hearts still organises the necessary care and medical attention for these children. Hopeful Hearts does fund the medical costs in emergency cases and for children who fall outside the scope of Project Tomorrow. We do not want to take over any government responsibility or "double-fund" any child, but we would like to make sure that no child slips through the net and goes without care. Project Tomorrow has enabled us to help more children whose parents don't have the means for the medical care of their child.

Through their work, the Amity Foundation also comes across children with a heart condition from other orphanages. If possible, Hopeful Hearts will support these children as well.

Medically, we are mostly advised by doctors from the Jiangsu Provincial Hospital . They usually perform the initial examinations on the children and propose a schedule of procedures.

While in hospital, Hopeful Hearts will visit the children and monitor their progress. When fully recovered, orphans first return to their Social Welfare Institute where they receive after-care. Hopeful Hearts then tries to promote adoption or fostering of the child.