Help a Children's Heart Center Save More Lives

Arturo and Violeta are siblings, Violeta is three years older than Arturo and both were born with a heart defect.

They both had surgery on Children's Day, Arturo at 3 pm and Violeta at 6 pm. They were hospitalized for three days and were released together to go home.

The day after the surgery, the Kardias team arranged a visit so that the siblings could see each other, Arturo visited Violeta's room and they were laying on the same bed holding hands. Violeta talked about her surgery and complained about how scared she had been before surgery. Arturo responded with a more practical approach but with a captivating smile about how happy he was that it was over and rejoiced they were together again.

After being together for a while, Arturo asked Violeta: Is something wrong, Violeta?

Violeta answered: it hurts!

Arturo said: It doesn't hurt, nothing happened, we are still here.

Violeta laughed incredulously at what her brother said. They had heart surgery! Her brother always makes her laugh. They love each other very much.

Arturo was born with a cleft palate and was diagnosed with heart disease. The doctors told his parents, Erick and Beatriz, that their son needed surgery. Due to lack of resources and bureaucracy in the health system, he went through three public hospitals, finally he was referred to Kardias. 

At the same time that this was happening, Violeta started elementary school and thanks to the medical record required to enroll in school they realized that she too had a heart disease. 

 Beatriz is very grateful that her two children were benefited by a donor who doesn't even know them. "Without the donors I wouldn´t have been able to help my children, they would not have survived."

The day Blanca was born at a public hospital, her parents were told that the girl had several heart problems. The initial diagnosis in that hospital was Tetralogy of Fallot, so the family was directed to the National Institute of Pediatrics. There, they found out about Kardias, thanks to a social worker, and a story of hope began.

"The truth was, it was shocking at first because we initially had no idea, no idea about this condition, no doctor even, and knew when Andrea was born, that she had a heart disease," says the little girl's father.

Andrea's parents contacted Kardias.The familly was very worried because they had no resources to pay for the treatment but they felt peace when they were told Kardias would cover the costs and that really the only thing they would have to worry about was Blanca.

The day of surgery:

After several frustrated attempts due to Blanca´s minor health problems, the surgery finally took place at the Kardias Heart Center ABC Hospital Medical Center. During the operation, Dr. Alexis Palacios Macedo, pediatric cardiovascular surgeon and medical director from the Kardias Program realized that Blanca´s VSD was larger than what she could see. However, although her parents were very concerned about the child's health, they knew that they were in the best hands.

The surgery was carried out successfully and Blanca was in intensive care for several days. She had constant care 24 hours a day, always with the presence of a doctor and nurses. About a week after the operation, the family was able to take her home.

A path of hope:

Little by little Blanca recovered. "All the people at Kardias were always very kind," explains Blanca´s father, "they helped with our questions explaining the procedure, and they were supportive to us and Blanca in an unbeatable way."

The family felt sheltered, “Kardias cares about you in providing you with a place to sleep, food vouchers.They make you feel protected, they make you feel, in the best way possible, calm and aware that the only thing you have to worry about is your son or daughter. "

Blanca´s father is sure that the lives of the girls and boys who enter the Kardias Program improve. "They can recover" and admits that, although the process is very hard, they return to normal or even to be better than before the operation.