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The Gabriel Project is named after three-year-old Gabriel Inyunye of Tanzania, East Africa, who died of intractable heart failure before funds could be raised to bring him to the United States for surgery. Gabriel was a patient at the Muhimbili Medical Centre in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. Upon Gabriel's death, doctors at the hospital identified two year old William "Willie" Mushi as the patient in need of immediate surgery. With four holes in his heart and a bad aorta, Willie had successful surgery on July 11, 1994, becoming The Gabriel Project's first success story! Gabriel Inyunye will always be watching over us as The Gabriel Project Guardian Angel.
HOW IT ALL BEGAN:
The Gabriel Project was founded by sixth grade teacher Mark J. Melamed in 1990. The objective of this non-profit organization is to provide life-saving heart surgery to a child from an area where such surgery is not available.
In 1990, Mr. Melamed's 6th grade class heard about the children in Tanzania, who are unable to have heart surgery. The students learned that an estimated 40,000 children die each day in Third World Countries, and identified Tanzania as one of the 5 poorest countries in Africa where heart surgery is not available for anyone. The class wanted to do something to help these children, and as a result The Gabriel Project was formed.
Working with the Children of the World Program at Deborah Heart and Lung Center in Browns Mills, New Jersey, The Gabriel Project began raising money to bring the child and mother to the hospital where the cost of surgery was donated at that time. All monies raised went toward airfare and living costs while the family is in the United States and en route.
Mr. Melamed's 6th grade class continues to cover curriculum goals such as reading, writing, math, social studies, language and appreciation of other cultures while raising funds to bring a child to the United States for surgery. The Gabriel Project also donates funds to local organizations such as the local soup kitchen, homeless shelter and children's ward at the hospital.
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