In July 2001 a young boy of 9 years of age was brought to us with a history of heart disease and we were asked if we could help. After much negotiation we were able to arrange for the boy and his mother to come to the UK where he received heart surgery and returned to Kenya fit and well. This made us wonder whether a more cost effective solution to such problems could be found.

Upon investigation, it soon became obvious that heart disease in children was a major problem in Kenya due to congenital reasons, poor health care in rural areas and lack of highly qualified cardiologists and cardiac surgeons. MEAK approached Mr David Anderson, one of Britain's foremost paediatric cardio-thoracic surgeons who readily agreed to assemble a team of experts from Guys and St Thomas ' Hospital to join MEAK, without fees, on our mission to Kenya.

MEAK was then left with the task of setting up the trip, raising funds and making the necessary arrangements. Thanks to the support of contacts established over many years with the airlines, hotels, hospitals etc, MEAK was able to maximise local support and the trip became feasible. Co-incidentally at this time, a sponsor contacted us with regards to MEAK and his interest in our work in Kenya. He immediately agreed to provide the funds for this trip and it took place in January 2002. Thus the first of MEAK's Heart Trips was born.

Subsequently in 2003, MEAK provided 2 heart and lung machines to Aga Khan Hospital in Mombasa and the MEAK heart team performed the first open-heart surgery ever-conducted in Kenya outside the capital.

At the end of 2009 MEAK has completed 14 heart trips, operating and giving a chance of a full and healthy life, to nearly 300 young children. We are now considered the major contributor to paediatric cardiac surgery in Kenya, being responsible for an estimated 30% of all paediatric open heart surgery carried out, annually, for the children of impoverished families.