This is the success story of Rafay, a 12-year-old ‘Congenital Heart Disease (CHD) Survivor’. He was diagnosed with a CHD called an Atrial Septal Defect, in which there is a hole that occurs in the septum (wall) that separates the heart’s upper ventricles (chambers).
The hole increases the amount of blood that flows through the lungs. A large, long-standing ASD can damage both the heart and lungs. An ASD is potentially life-threatening and symptoms include breathing difficulties, frequent lung infections, skipped heartbeats etc.
Living a completely normal life in their hometown of Gujranwala, one of Pakistan’s most populous cities known for its food, Rafay and his family had no idea about the underlying heart condition that would change all their lives. On just another regular day though, Rafay’s health started showing signs of deterioration.
He was immediately taken to a local hospital and after his check-up, an echocardiography (ECHO), which is a cardiac ultrasound, was recommended. The results of this test confirmed the presence of Rafay’s large and long-term ASD.
The fact that it was life-threatening was shocking for Rafay’s parents. Their lack of awareness and ignorance towards previous symptoms meant that they genuinely did not know about the severity of the situation, which now required relatively expensive heart treatment to resolve.
Rafay’s father works as an accountant and is the sole breadwinner in his family. He needed financial support for his son’s heart surgery and did not know where to look. Fortunately for him, a close friend of his knew about our organization.
Having years of experience saving lives of children born with CHD, we are among the best in our field. Rafay’s family wasted no time whatsoever and managed to get a meeting with our team. This would be the start of a life-altering experience for all of them.
Following an initial assessment, we informed the family that we would be able to financially support Rafay’s surgery. This is something we are grateful beyond measure to our generous donor base for. The whole family was delighted and were praying for everything to go well.
A brilliant team of doctors and allied CHD healthcare professionals was on board and the procedure was scheduled at the University of Lahore Teaching Hospital (ULTH). With Rafay going in for surgery, the most difficult few hours of not only his life but that of his family members as well, had arrived.
Rafay was a fighter though. Once the intricate procedure known as an ASD Closure was complete, we were thrilled to inform his loved ones that he had defeated CHD! He was now a ‘CHD Survivor’ who had gained tremendous strength in overcoming his strife.
His family was also in absolute bliss and thought of us as miracle-workers. They were so happy about the fact that they could return to living the lives they were before all this unfolded. As they left, they mentioned how they wished that one day Rafay would also become a doctor, so that he could also help save lives like we do.
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 at: https://pchfna.kindful.com/
#SuccessStory #CHDSurvivor #ASD
#EveryLifeMattersEveryChildMatters #PCHFNA
