This is the success story of Dania, an infant ‘Congenital Heart Disease (CHD) Survivor’. She was diagnosed with a CHD called a Ventricular Septal Defect (VSD), in which there is a hole that occurs in the septum (wall) that separates the heart’s lower ventricles (chambers) and allows blood to pass from the left to the right side of the heart.
The oxygen-rich blood then gets pumped back to the lungs instead of out to the body, causing the heart to work harder. A VSD is potentially life-threatening, and symptoms include shortness of breath, frequent respiratory infections, paleness etc.
Following her birth, Dania started suffering from the symptoms of CHD and her parents immediately took her to Services Hospital Lahore. They were told to get an echocardiography (ECHO), which is a cardiac ultrasound.
When the results came in and her heart’s condition was revealed, her parents were devastated. They feared the worst and started inquiring about the available treatment options for their daughter.
They were told to go to Ittefaq Hospital Lahore and meet Dr. Mohammad Asim Khan, a renowned Pediatric Cardiac Surgeon. They wasted no time whatsoever and with hope in their hearts, went to see him.
In their meeting with Dr. Khan, they were informed of the relatively high cost of the surgery needed to heal Dania’s heart. Her father, who works as a salesman and is the sole breadwinner in the family, found it unaffordable and needed financial support. That’s where we come in.
Dania’s family was asked to visit us, an organization that since inception in 2016, has sponsored 525 child heart surgeries. We are blessed with the support of an exceptional donor base, both individuals and organizations alongside us on our journey, and without them we would not be where we are today.
Once we had a meeting with the family, we started making arrangements for Dania’s surgery. The registration, funds and all other formalities were swiftly taken care of with the surgery being scheduled at Ittefaq Hospital Lahore. Dr. Mohammad Asim Khan was to perform the surgery himself.
Dania’s family was like a symbol of strength and inspiration throughout the whole journey, even managing to contribute around half of the required funds. So once the procedure was over, they were relieved to find out that Dania’s surgery was a resounding success! She was now a ‘CHD Survivor’.
Her loved ones were both delighted and grateful beyond measure. The start of a completely normal life was on the horizon for them. At the time of discharge, Dania’s father mentioned that he wishes for her to become a doctor when she grows up so that she could help people like we do. Words like these mean the world to us!
1 in 100 children are born with CHD, the world’s most common birth defect. We hope that these stories inspire even more people to contribute towards our cause so that we can continue shaping a brighter future for affected children and their families. We are genuinely leaving no stone unturned for them. Every life matters, every child matters.
Join us on our journey to conquering CHD in Pakistan by donating now towards child heart surgeries or the construction of Pakistan’s first dedicated Children’s Heart Hospital & Research Institute (CHHRI) at: https://pchfna.kindful.com/
#SuccessStory #CHDSurvivor #VSD
#EveryLifeMattersEveryChildMatters #PCHFNA
