- Congenital heart defects are the number one birth defect in the world.
- 1 out of every 100 children is born with a congenital heart defect.
- 1.3 million children are born each year with a congenital heart defect.
- 93% of these children are born in a country that cannot provide them with the care they require.
- The Gift of Life Global Network is comprised of 84 affiliated organizations that care for children from 80 countries on 5 continents.
- Since 1975, we have treated over 45,000 children with a mortality rate of less than 1%.
- In Rotary Year 2021/22, 4,017 children were treated.
- Gift of Life provides care to a child with heart disease every 2 hours and 18 minutes.
- Programs in Uganda and El Salvador now regularly care for over 150 and 200 children, respectively.
- Gift of Life is the largest humanitarian organization in the world providing care to children with heart disease in the developing world.
- Since 2013, $14.3 million in Rotary Global Grants have funded the treatment of over 9,000 children.
- 332 Rotary Clubs and 78 Rotary Districts have participated in Gift of Life Global Grants.
Rob Raylman is the Chief Executive officer for Gift of Life International. He assumed this role in 2008.
Rob is a life-long resident of New York State. He graduated Hobart College in 1984 with a BS in Political Science. Over the years, he worked for US Senator Alfonse D’Amato and held the position of Vice President for Browning-Ferris Industries (at the time, the second largest international solid waste company in the world). In 2008, Rob created the position of CEO for Gift of Life International. Since then, he was visited 38 countries on 5 continents to build the Gift of Life Global Network of 84 affiliates. During Rob’s tenure with Gift of Life International, 30 affiliates have been created while over 35,000 children have received care for their heart defects.
Rob focuses on strategically building bridges between Gift of Life programs, foreign Governments, Rotary Clubs and Districts, like-minded organizations and hospital administrations in order to address the Global Crisis of congenital heart defects.
