Aminehon's New Heartbeat

Aminehon, a six-year-old boy from Ethiopia, was diagnosed with a congenital heart defect late last year. His doctors in Addis Ababa recommended open-heart surgery, but his family, planning to make Aliyah and reunite with relatives in Lod, decided to wait and seek treatment in Israel. 

Within two weeks of arrival, Aminehon was admitted to Schneider Children's Medical Center. After reviewing Aminehon’s case, a team of cardiologists determined that, rather than open-heart surgery, Aminehon’s heart defect—a narrowing of the main artery—could be corrected through catheterization. 

The procedure, led by Prof. Einat Birk, Director of the Cardiology Institute, was a success. No complications. 

Two days later, Aminehon was discharged from the hospital in excellent condition and returned home to Lod. 

A condition that would have once necessitated major surgery and weeks of recovery—resulting in a prominent, long scar—was resolved through a minimally invasive procedure. 

Aminehon's story underscores remarkable advances across the medical and humanitarian spaces. It is a story about a child arriving in a new country, reconnecting with family, and receiving world-class cardiac care. 

“This beautiful human story transcends the medical aspect—it is the story of a child who recently arrived in Israel and, in an incredibly short time, received outstanding medical care with no unnecessary delays or complications,” said Dr. Elchanan Bruckheimer, Director of the Cardiac Catheterization Laboratories at Schneider Children's. 

“It reminds us of the core values of the State of Israel: embracing and gathering the Jewish people, saving lives, and ensuring the well-being of every child.”