A legend in cardiac surgery, Magdi H. Yacoub, MB, BCH, FACC, spent his early years following his surgeon father around Egypt on a path determined by medical need and government imperatives.

Among the many places in which his family lived, the Upper Egypt city of Aswan was significant to Yacoub as children from that area were dehydrated, infected, neglected and dying.

An underserved city with 1.5 million residents, Aswan was a natural choice for a cardiac research and treatment facility that would realize Yacoub’s dream of more lasting, widespread improvements for cardiovascular health in Egypt. He established the Aswan Heart Centre (AHC) in 2009 as a project of Chain of Hope, a charity also founded by Yacoub.

With a continuing stream of donations from Egyptians rich and poor, as well as partnerships with universities and health care organizations around the world, the AHC is now a tertiary referral center serving patients not only from the Aswan region but also from other parts of Egypt and Africa. Read more.