By Leila Hawken | Fundraising
Troubling news reports from Nicaragua indicate that the political situation is unstable, although our hope is for prompt resolution. The short-term effect is that our next volunteer medical team is postponing their trip until the situation settles.
This story, though, is one of hope and achievement, and a baby’s heart repaired by the local team at our Heart Center in Nicaragua because it was necessary. The baby boy’s life was in danger, so the local team stepped up, recalling our training and resolving to do the surgery.
In June, a six-month old baby boy was carried to our Heart Center and diagnosed with an obstructed total anomalous pulmonary venous return. He couldn't wait. The situation was dire, and the local team had never done a surgical repair of that type. They were hesitant to try. They discussed it and decided that there was no other option. Surgery was scheduled.
Following intense but skilled surgery, the baby boy spent some extra time in intensive care with Dr. Varga. At first, he suffered from a touch of pneumonia, but his heart was growing stronger, and so was he. While the streets were awash with violence, the local medical team at our Heart Center came through and so did the baby boy.
Known only to the hospital as Baby (BB), son of his mother, according to the custom that children do not have names until they go home, little BB is now at home in the rural village of Matagalpa, strengthening every day. He will be able to claim the childhood and the name that is to be his.
These doctors and nurses continue to realize a dream, their goal and ours. They want to be able to take care of their patients, even in the toughest conditions. What they just pulled off is incredible.
As a Global Giving donor to our life-saving work in Nicaragua, you are helping us to do amazing work. And you have a grand opportunity to help us to help these dedicated doctors to work through the weeks of turmoil. We remain grateful.
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