About Us
Gift of Life Mid-South, a project of Rotary District 6800, brings children to Memphis fo
r life-saving heart surgery at Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital. Since 2007, Gift of Life Mid-South has served over 100 children from 16 countries, including China, Kosovo, Honduras, and Uganda.
As a volunteer organization with no paid staff, all contributions go directly to help the children brought to Memphis. The children and their families stay at FedEX Family House before and after surgery. Rotary volunteers from District 6800 take care of meals and transportation, and generally lend support to families throughout their stay.
District 6800 is comprised of 41 Rotary Clubs in Shelby County and Northern Mississippi. Since its creation, Gift of Life Mid-South has grown substantially in the number of children served, the number of volunteers, and the level of community involvement.Through the Gift of Life Mid-South program, Rotary brings help and hope to those in need. It is a catalyst for bringing peace and understanding to all corners of the earth.
Gift of Life International
Bill Pickens, Gift of Life founder with a happy patient
Gift of Life Mid-South is part of Gift of Life International (GOLI) and a network of more than 73 Gift of Life programs worldwide. Our program is one of 28 programs in the United States. Gift of Life International is a Rotary-based organization that over the past four decades has helped more than 18,000 children from emerging nations receive treatment for their heart disease. These children have come to the United States from 67 different countries and otherwise would not have been treated.
For it is true that when you cure the heart of a child you cure the heart of all humankind.