RGOL USA was founded in the late eighties initially as a volunteer auxiliary to the Rotary Gift of Life program, to provide life saving surgery in both the US to children in developing countries. Volunteers provided non-clinical support including transportation, translation, housing as well as emotional and spiritual support to children brought to America for life-saving heart surgery from Russia. The program remained at a grassroots level until philanthropist Kurt Weishaupt starting funding heart surgeries – especially for children from Russia.

​

Today our work has expanded to supporting surgical training missions to develop sustainable regional pediatric cardiac centers, in areas of need, in Eurasia.

​

In 1991, RGOL USA was incorporated as a separate, nonprofit entity. To date, RGOL USA has saved the lives of more than 1000 children and supported the training of more than 50 local medical team members.