This is the success story of Shams, a ‘Congenital Heart Disease (CHD) Survivor’. He was diagnosed with a CHD called an Atrial Septal Defect (ASD), in which there is a hole that occurs in the septum (wall) that separates the heart’s upper chambers (atria).
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.
Shams and his family are from the agricultural city of Narowal in the province of Punjab. His father works as a labourer and solely supports a family of 8. When Shams started experiencing signs and symptoms of CHD such as exhaustion, his family took him to a local hospital for a check-up.
The doctor there had him undergo an Echocardiography (ECHO), which is a cardiac ultrasound. The results of this test revealed the hole in his heart. Furthermore, this heart condition was potentially fatal.
Shams and all his family members were shocked to the core. Adding to their woes was the fact that the required treatment was not available in their hometown and it was also relatively expensive. They would have to search for treatment options elsewhere and also look for financial support.
This search led them to various hospitals across the country with unsatisfactory outcomes. Eventually though, they made their way to Ittefaq Hospital (Trust) in the city of Lahore where they met Dr. M. Asim Khan.
A renowned Pediatric Cardiac Surgeon, Dr. Asim, after finding out about this precarious situation, told the family to visit our organization. This would turn out to be a life-altering piece of advice which they would be forever grateful for.
Having tremendous experience of helping deserving patients defeat CHD, we are among the best organizations providing treatment options in Pakistan. We have financially supported over 900 heart procedures since 2016.
The family felt very hopeful now and contacted us immediately. A meeting was scheduled and the case was swiftly evaluated. They were then told that we would do our utmost to save Shams and having a generous donor base, we would be able to arrange the majority of the required funds.
The surgery was scheduled at Ittefaq Hospital and Dr. Asim would carry out the procedure called an ‘ASD Closure’ himself, alongside a world-class team of allied healthcare professionals. The family was pleased with how everything had gone so far and we also assured them that in terms of preparation, the best was done.
Following the heart surgery during which Shams showed immense resilience and his loved ones were a pillar of strength, it was our privilege to inform them that he had defeated CHD! He was now a ‘CHD Survivor’ with an unquenchable desire for life itself.
The family was elated. After years of heartache, they got to experience heartwarming moments together, because of us and our partners in building hope, Deerfield Foundation. They thanked us wholeheartedly and wished us continued success in all our projects. We wish them all a lifetime of happiness!
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/
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