Isra’s Journey from Somaliland to Israel: A New Heart, A New Vision, A New Future

By: HornDiplomat Staff

Isra Khadar Abdulkadir was just five years old when her world began to shrink. A once energetic and playful child, she struggled to keep up with her siblings, often growing breathless and weak. Even simple activities left her exhausted. Time and again, she battled pneumonia. Her family knew something was wrong.

They took her to Edna Hospital in Hargeisa in Somaliland, where doctors uncovered the cause of her struggles—Isra was born with two congenital heart defects: *Ventricular Septal Defect (VSD) and *Discrete Subaortic Stenosis (DSS).

Without surgery, Isra’s condition would only worsen, threatening her life. But hope was on the horizon.

A Journey to Israel for a Second Chance

Through Save a Child’s Heart (SACH), Isra was given the opportunity to receive the life-saving care she needed in Israel. She embarked on the journey with her aunt Rahma, nine other children from Somaliland, and a medical team.

On January 26, 2025, at SACH’s International Pediatric Cardiac Center at Wolfson Medical Center, Isra underwent open-heart surgery by Dr. Lior Sasson, Director of Pediatric Cardiac Surgery with the assistance of surgeons Dr. Tsach Levy, and Dr. Fitsum, an Ethiopian surgeon currently being trained by SACH in Israel. The procedure was a success. Her heart was finally strong enough to support the childhood she deserved.

A Turn of Events: Treating Her Vision Too

During Isra’s initial medical examinations in Israel, the team noticed something unexpected—her eyes weren’t aligned. She had likely lived her whole life with limited vision.

Prof. Oriel Spierer, Head of the Pediatric Ophthalmology Unit at Wolfson Medical Center, conducted further tests. The results confirmed what the team suspected—Isra had strabismus, a condition that affects vision and depth perception.

The decision was made: if Isra had travelled across continents for a healthier heart, she shouldn’t leave without clearer sight, too.

On March 4, 2025, Isra underwent a surgical strabismus repair, correcting her vision and opening a new world for her—one she could now see with clarity.

A Future Filled with Possibilities

With a healthy heart and a new perspective, Isra is returning home to Somaliland with a second chance at life. She has never been to school before, but now she can’t wait to start. Her dream? To become a teacher one day.

Her aunt describes the immense relief their family feels. The fear and uncertainty that once loomed over Isra’s future have been replaced with hope and gratitude. “Isra has been given a new life” she says.

Save a Child’s Heart & Somaliland: A Partnership for Life

Isra is one of 41 children from Somaliland, and among 7,500 children from around the world, who have received life-saving treatment through Save a Child’s Heart since its creation in 1995.

The connection between Save a Child’s Heart (SACH) and Somaliland has developed in two key phases.

The first began shortly after Dr. Matthew Jones, an American physician living in Somaliland, arrived in the region in 2012. He partnered with Dr. Omar Dihoud, former Special Advisor to the President of Somaliland, to help the first two children travel from Hargeisa to Tel Aviv for heart surgery. Sadly, Dr. Dihoud passed away in 2015, but his early efforts laid the foundation for what would grow into a meaningful and long-lasting partnership.

The second phase of collaboration took shape in 2021, when Dr. Adam Lee Goldstein, Head of Trauma Surgery at Wolfson Medical Center in Israel, visited Edna Adan—former Foreign Minister of Somaliland and founder of the Edna Adan Maternity Hospital. During his visit, Dr. Goldstein met the now-grown young adults who had received life-saving heart surgery through SACH nearly a decade earlier. That powerful reunion reignited a partnership rooted in impact and trust, thanks to Edna Adan’s continued leadership and dedication to improving healthcare in her country.

With the support of Simon Fisher, Executive Director of SACH, and Leo Vinovezky, then Counselor and Deputy Head of Mission at the Embassy of Israel in Ethiopia, the connection was reestablished and significantly expanded, allowing even more children to access the care they desperately needed.

Today, more than a decade after those first steps, this collaboration has blossomed into a true partnership between Somaliland, Save a Child’s Heart, and Wolfson Medical Center—one that continues to transform lives, offering children like Isra not only survival, but the chance to thrive.

A Story of Hope and Healing

Isra came to Israel for a new heart. She never imagined she’d return home with clear vision, renewed strength, and boundless possibilities.

Her journey is a testament to the power of compassion, expertise, and global collaboration. As she steps into her future, Isra carries with her not just the gift of life, but the promise of a brighter tomorrow.

www.saveachildsheart.org

*VSD is a hole in the heart’s wall that allows oxygen-rich blood to flow in the wrong direction, making the heart work harder than it should.

*DSS is a narrowing of the passage leading from the heart’s left ventricle, restricting blood flow to the rest of the body.

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Source: Horndiplomat | www.saveachildsheart.org

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