“My name is Truc Ngan. I am 7. I like music. I like to play hide and seek.”
This is how a thriving Ngan introduces herself today. But when Ngan was just one month old, her parents went to what they expected to be a routine wellness check. Instead, the doctor detected a heart murmur. She was transferred to Vietnam National Children’s Hospital (VNCH), a Children’s HeartLink partner hospital, where additional testing revealed a devastating diagnosis: Transposition of the Great Arteries (TGA), along with two related congenital heart conditions.
Congenital heart disease is the leading cause of infant deaths from birth defects. Without access to high-quality care, most children in low-resource settings will die from conditions that are treatable. Ngan’s parents could do little but monitor her condition and wait for available treatment between checkups. “The doctor told us, if Ngan were born 10 years ago, she wouldn’t have been treated,” says Chu Thi Loan, Ngan’s mother. By the time Ngan was five, her heart condition was limiting her daily activities.
Her case was brought by Dr. Truong, Chief of Cardiovascular Surgery at VNCH, to a virtual case discussion with cardiologists at the University of California, San Francisco — a collaboration coordinated by Children’s HeartLink. Each week, doctors from both hospitals meet to plan complex cases and troubleshoot challenges together. For Ngan, the conclusion was clear: it was time for lifesaving surgery. Even after surgery, her recovery was uncertain. One month later, she was still in heart failure. Once again, Dr. Truong consulted the Children’s HeartLink-supported team in California. Together, they reviewed her case and encouraged her care team to stay the course. It worked!
Today, Ngan is healthy enough to ride her bike, play with friends and dream about her future. Her life today is the result of something much bigger than a single child receiving lifesaving heart surgery. It’s the result of a transformative Children’s HeartLink partnership between Vietnam National Children’s Hospital and the University of California, San Francisco — one that strengthens care provided by the local team.
In 2026, Vietnam National Children’s Hospital became a Children’s HeartLink Cetner of Excellence. Their goal is to reach 12 by 2030. Each year, Vietnam National Children’s Hospital cares for more than 30,000 children and performs 1,700 heart surgeries, including 1,100 open heart surgeries. Children’s HeartLink’s long-term partnership has helped strengthen team-based care and improve outcomes, reducing infections and mortality so more children can survive and thrive.
