In Rwanda Untreated Strep Throat is Taking Lives

When strep throat is left untreated, it can develop into rheumatic heart disease (RHD). In sub-Saharan Africa, where strep throat largely goes untreated, it has led to an estimated 275,000 premature deaths occurring each year. It’s estimated that there are more than 40,000 teens and young adults with undiagnosed RHD in Rwanda. This situation will continue to progress until the young teens enter the health care system. Even then, it could take years to navigate the system and receive care. These young adults are dying from RHD and the only treatment for advanced cases is surgery. Team Heart’s dedicated and expert caregivers have saved many (though hardly all) who are gravely ill and need surgical intervention. Without sufficient medical staffing, without preventative education and medication, without the appropriate health care facilities, the struggle is ongoing.

Our Purpose

After traveling to Rwanda as a volunteer, Ceeya Patton Bolman returned to Boston, recruited her husband Chip (a heart surgeon), and joined a group of ICU nurses at Brigham and Women’s Hospital to form Team Heart. They registered the organization as a 501c3 in 2009. What began as a single volunteer trip, became a life long journey.

This trip grew into a commitment to developing a sustainable program to increase prevention, education, and early intervention. The team would also build a foundation for offering life-saving care to Rwanda’s RHD patients. The co-founders have continued to seek ways to provide more care with help from a team of dedicated volunteers—those who are involved in raising donations at home, offering on-the-ground support in Africa, and are committed to keep the program robust and growing through its partnership with CSIA.