Sister to Sister

The epidemic of cardiovascular disease in developing nations is growing at an alarming rate.  China's major health threats are chronic diseases, now accounting for more than three-quarters of all deaths.  Specifically, cardiovascular diseases are currently the leading cause of death in China, responsible for 2.6 million deaths annually.

In order to help address this crisis, Sister to Sister created the International Cardiologist Development Program.  Its goals were to offer two Chinese female cardiologists the opportunity to travel to the United States to meet with leading doctors that are working on the forefront of combating heart disease, and to have access to the premier heart research centers.  Our hope was to increase international collaboration through the various networking opportunities that can be cultivated and continue when the physicians return to China. 

Dr. Yundai Chen (Director of Cardiology, General Hospital of PLA, Beijing) and Dr. Meilin Liu (Deputy Director, Department of Geriatrics, First Hospital, Peking University) were selected for the fourteen day program which took place in February 2010.  

The participating medical & research partners included:

• Northwest Community Hospital, Department of Cardiology
• George Washington University Hospital, Women's Heart Center
• National Heart Lung Blood Institute, National Institutes of Health
• Adventist Healthcare, Prevention and Wellness
• Brigham and Women's Hospital, Cardiovascular Wellness Center
•  Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Women's Heart Center

Sister to Sister's program partners included The George Institute, China, a non-profit organization that uses clinical, population and health systems research to identify solutions to major health problems in China. They work to translate this research into policy and practice.  The program was sponsored by a grant from the American Women for International Understanding, a non-profit organization that was established to create an international network of women to foster understanding and goodwill among nations.