Fifteen babies with congenital heart defects in Tijuana, most of them born at the Hospital General de Tijuana (HGT), will receive heart surgery at no cost to their families. The procedures are being paid for by Fundación Bebé Cardio A.C., according to a report by El Imparcial published October 20, 2026.
How the surgeries are being paid for
Cristal Jiménez, co-founder and director of the foundation, said the operations were made possible by alumni of Tijuana’s Instituto México, who raised about 1 million pesos through a charity golf tournament.
The surgeries will take place at a private hospital, because the Hospital General de Tijuana does not currently have the equipment for open-heart surgery or cardiac catheterization. Each congenital heart operation costs at least 150,000 pesos in a private hospital, depending on the type and severity of the defect, so the donation removes a cost most of these families could not cover.
Why it matters
According to the foundation, between 50 and 58 babies are born with congenital heart disease in Mexico every day, and it is the leading cause of death among children in the country. Early surgery gives these children a much better chance of growing and developing normally.
What’s next
- November 14, 2026: Bebé Cardio will hold a free diagnostic day in Hermosillo, Sonora.
- 2027: The next brigade in Tijuana is planned for 2027.
- Waiting list: Families can sign up through the foundation’s Facebook page, Bebé Cardio AC.
What it means for Tijuana
The story shows how community fundraising can fill a gap in public pediatric cardiac care while hospital capacity grows. Tijuana Medical News will keep following cardiology services for children in Baja California.
Resumen en español
La Fundación Bebé Cardio A.C. cubrirá el costo de cirugías de corazón para 15 bebés en Tijuana, la mayoría nacidos en el Hospital General de Tijuana. Los fondos, cerca de un millón de pesos, fueron reunidos por exalumnos del Instituto México mediante un torneo de golf. Las operaciones se realizarán en un hospital privado, ya que el Hospital General no cuenta con equipo para cirugía a corazón abierto ni cateterismo. Cada cirugía cuesta al menos 150 mil pesos. La fundación realizará una jornada gratuita de diagnóstico en Hermosillo el 14 de noviembre y planea su próxima brigada en Tijuana en 2027.
This article is for general information and is not medical advice.
