The association

It's thanks to the volunteer couriers of the Aviation Sans Frontières association that we are able to bring all the children we take in and take them out again. The children travel without their parents, but the attendants are there to accompany them with great kindness on the journey of a lifetime.

On the outward journey, they accompany sick children entrusted by their parents on a journey into the unknown in the hope of recovery. On the return journey, they bring back cured children and witness the moving reunion with their families.

In both cases, they are the invaluable link between the families back home and the host families, between each airport. All these round-trips bring their share of surprises, and the couriers are often called upon to show their ingenuity, as it's not always easy to accompany a sick child, sometimes several, with suitcases and flight delays...

Convoyeurs are former airline staff who benefit from preferential travel rates. By choosing to be volunteers, they give their time and allow Aviation Sans Frontières to benefit from their preferential advantages. For Mécénat Chirurgie Cardiaque, the financial participation in the convoys is minimal, as it is Aviation Sans Frontières that organizes and finances the logistics (visas, vaccinations, accommodation for convoy members, etc.). Many thanks to this partner association, an indispensable link in our chain of solidarity!

Getting a child to travel alone, ill and without financial resources is a balancing act. Air France Humanitaire uses all the know-how of its teams to ensure that the children we take care of travel.

For over 10 years, Mécénat Chirurgie Cardiaque has benefited from the support of Air France's Mécénat Humanitaire. This has given us greater flexibility in the event of cancellations, exchanges or rescheduling of tickets when we are faced with unforeseen circumstances. This partnership has resulted in the donation of some forty humanitarian tickets for the most disadvantaged children.

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The Centre Pédiatrique des Côtes is a medical and rehabilitation hospital for children with heart and respiratory diseases, and has been a partner of the Association since the very beginning.

Located in the Yvelines region, it welcomes children who have undergone surgery in the Paris region, after their operation, for the duration of their convalescence. This partnership enables us to reduce hospitalization costs and guarantee children convalescence and follow-up while being surrounded by doctors and nursing staff.

The host families visit the children every day during their stay at Château des Côtes, before taking them home and completing their welcome until their departure.

We have been operating on children in Geneva and Lausanne since the end of 2022. In Switzerland, children over the age of two stay at La Maison Terre des Hommes Valais, a reassuring and comfortable home where other children and caring staff surround them. This medical center in Massongex takes great care of children from the moment they arrive ill until they leave in good health.

Children under two undergoing surgery in Switzerland are cared for by foster families, as in France.

Through our Smart Projects program, we have worked with the start-up Visible Patient to develop 3D models of patients' hearts.

Starting with a CT scan, Visible Patient transforms the image into a perfect 3D visualization of the patient's internal anatomy. Doctors are then able to make a diagnosis, accurately predict the surgical procedure to be performed when possible, and teach by exchanging case studies with foreign doctors.

The ultimate aim is to improve the management of complex heart diseases.

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