Success! Wedeline from Haiti raised $1,500 to fund prep for cardiac surgery.

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$1,500 raised, $0 to go

$1,500

raised

to go

Wedeline's story
Wedeline's update

January 14, 2017

Wedeline is a ten-year-old fourth grader who lives with her parents and two brothers in Mirebalais, a small city in the mountains of central Haiti. She hopes to become a doctor when she grows up, and she likes playing with her friends and singing in church.

Wedeline was born with a cardiac condition called patent ductus arteriosus, in which a hole in the heart that normally closes shortly after birth remains open. This is dangerous because blood leaks through this hole without passing through the lungs to obtain oxygen, leaving her feeling weak.

Wedeline needs to undergo heart surgery to close the hole at our medical partner’s care center, St. Damien Hospital. First, Wedeline will undergo a full cardiac assessment on January 15. This assessment will include physical exams, labs, and an overnight stay at the hospital. Our medical partner, Haiti Cardiac Alliance, is requesting $1,500 to fund these procedures. Funding for Wedeline also covers the cost of medications and social support for her and her family. Gift of Life International is contributing $3,500 to cover additional costs associated with Wedeline’s surgical care.

“Thank you to everyone who is making this surgery possible for our daughter!” says her father.

Wedeline is a ten-year-old fourth grader who lives with her parents and two brothers in Mirebalais, a small city in the mountains of central...

Photo of Wedeline post-operation

March 2, 2017

Wedeline underwent successful cardiac surgery.

During surgery, the hole in Wedeline’s heart was sewn shut by way of a small incision in her side. Blood now circulates normally through her lungs and body, and she should have no further symptoms from this condition.

She says, “I would like to say thank you to all of my new friends in the hospital, and to everyone who helped me have this surgery.”

During surgery, the hole in Wedeline's heart was sewn shut by way of a small incision in her side. Blood now circulates normally through her...

January 14, 2017
PROFILE SUBMITTED
Wedeline was submitted by Owen Robinson, Executive Director at International Cardiac Alliance.
January 14, 2017
TREATMENT OCCURRED
Wedeline received treatment at St. Damien Hospital in Haiti. Medical partners often provide care to patients accepted by Watsi before those patients are fully funded, operating under the guarantee that the cost of care will be paid for by donors.
January 20, 2017
PROFILE PUBLISHED
Wedeline's profile was published to start raising funds.
March 2, 2017
TREATMENT UPDATE
Wedeline's treatment was successful. Read the update.
April 9, 2017
FULLY FUNDED
Wedeline's treatment was fully funded.

Funded by 20 donors

Treatment

Domestic Pediatric Cardiac Surgery

Cost Breakdown
Diagnosis
Procedure

On average, it costs $2,080 for Wedeline's treatment

Watsi raises $1,500 and other contributions cover the rest

Hospital Fees

$1,000

Medical Staff

$450

Medication

$360

Supplies

Labs

$180

Other

$90

Symptoms
Impact on patient's life
Cultural or regional significance

What kinds of symptoms do patients experience before receiving treatment?

When a hole exists in the heart, a physician can hear a buzzing noise, or murmur, in the child's chest as blood passes through the hole at high velocity. The child's parents might notice that their son or daughter cannot keep up with other children in daily activities. In severe cases, the lack of oxygen in the bloodstream can lead to dramatic symptoms, such as blue lips and tongue, clubbed fingers and toes, and heart failure. The patients treated by Haiti Cardiac Alliance tend to fall into two categories. They are either born with some type of hole or defect in the heart, or they develop valve disease as a result of an untreated strep throat infection (rheumatic fever). Patients with rheumatic valve disease experience swelling of the abdomen and extremities, as the heart tries to circulate blood through the body despite the valve's dysfunction.

What is the impact on patients’ lives of living with these conditions?

Virtually all of the conditions treated at Haiti Cardiac Alliance will eventually lead to death without surgery, the majority of them within one to two years. In the meantime, patients experience heart failure as their hearts struggle to compensate for the presence of leaks or other defects. In most conditions, the heart becomes fatigued, limiting the child's ability to be active, go to school, and participate in daily life.

What cultural or regional factors affect the treatment of these conditions?

Families in Haiti often have complex cultural mechanisms for understanding cardiac illnesses and their causes, sometimes involving voudou or other religious belief systems. Nevertheless, the overwhelming majority of Haitian families in our medical partner's program also engage with the medical explanations and treatment of these conditions. Parents are willing and cooperative participants in their child's treatment.

Process
Impact on patient's life
Risks and side-effects
Accessibility
Alternatives

What does the treatment process look like?

The patient is first referred to our medical partner, Haiti Cardiac Alliance (HCA), by a pediatrician or another medical practitioner who detects symptoms that might be cardiac in nature. HCA staff then perform an echocardiogram to diagnose the cardiac condition. If surgery is required, the staff decides whether the child can be treated in-country or needs to be flown elsewhere to access care. If the child can be treated in-country, he or she is scheduled for an upcoming surgical mission. In the meantime, HCA provides periodic cardiac checkups. Typically, the child spends 4-5 days in or near the hospital prior to surgery for testing and examinations. After surgery, he or she spends several more days as an inpatient prior to being discharged. HCA provides regular cardiac checkups for at least five years postoperatively before the final discharge from their program.

What is the impact of this treatment on the patient’s life?

These treatments are almost always life-saving in nature. These cardiac conditions are not survivable over the long-term without surgery. Within weeks after surgery, the patient should notice a difference in energy level. Many patients also undergo a growth spurt and/or gain significant weight after a surgery.

What potential side effects or risks come with this treatment?

The risk of death during or shortly after an open-heart surgical procedure is about 3%. Other risks, though rare, include stroke and post-operative infection. In a small percentage of cases, the material used to patch the hole "blows," and a follow-up surgery is necessary to re-patch the defect.

How accessible is treatment in the area? What is the typical journey like for a patient to receive care?

Patients come to Haiti Cardiac Alliance (HCA) from the entirety of Haiti. This can involve three days of travel in buses, pickup trucks, or even on horseback. There is no cardiac surgery of any kind available in Haiti outside of the HCA treatment network.

What are the alternatives to this treatment?

In general, patients are treated with medications to prevent heart failure until they are ready to travel. Patients may also seek care from traditional healers, who may use liquids and powders derived from local plants and roots.

Meet another patient you can support

100% of your donation funds life-changing surgery.

Sobel is an unemployed 21-year-old who lives in Phnom Penh province with six other members of his family - his father and five siblings who all live together at home. His father is retired. Before his injury, Sobel had an engineering job and enjoyed playing volleyball with friends. In July 2023, on his way home from work, Sobel's motorcycle skidded on the rain-soaked surface, sending him crashing onto the pavement. He lost consciousness for several hours. His sister took him to a local hospital with a skull fracture, broken collarbone, and broken upper arm. He has been diagnosed with a brachial plexus injury on his left side. The brachial plexus is a nerve network that transmits signals from the spine to the shoulder, arm, and hand. Injuries to this nerve network can result in loss of function and sensation. Sobel is unable to lift his shoulder or hand, consequently stripping away his ability to work. The thought of navigating life with only one arm is hard for him to imagine. Sobel traveled to Kien Khleang National Rehabilitation Centre to receive treatment. This is the only center in the whole country where this treatment is available. On January 2nd, he will undergo a brachial plexus repair surgery. After recovery, he hopes to restore function in his arm and hand and find a job to help his family. Our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, is requesting $709 to fund this procedure. Sobel said: "I want to work like before and hope the surgeons can help me."

Penh is a loving grandmother from Kandal province. With three sons and one daughter, she has lived with her youngest son and his family since a divorce from her husband forty years ago. Formerly a farmer cultivating vegetables and rice, she is now trying to enjoy her retirement. Her days are occupied with looking after her grandchildren and preparing meals for the family. Occasionally, she finds comfort in visiting the nearby pagoda to listen to the monks chant. About four years ago, Penh developed a pterygium in her right eye, causing her distress, as she struggles with the inability to see, do housework, or participate in the ceremonies at the pagoda. Pterygiums are non-cancerous growths of the conjunctiva, a mucous layer that lubricates the eye. The growths occur when the conjunctiva is exposed to excessive sun damage, wind or dust and the cells grow abnormally over the pupil. When Penh learned about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, she traveled for three hours seeking treatment. Penh needs a surgical procedure to remove the abnormal conjunctiva from the cornea surface and replace it with a conjunctival graft to prevent recurrence. The total cost of her procedure is $225. This covers medications, supplies, and inpatient care for two days. The procedure is scheduled for January 2nd. Penh shared: "I feel bad because I cannot see and cannot take care of myself or do housework. I hope I can be better after my operation."

Myint, a 62-year-old woman, resides in Thailand with her husband and six children: five daughters and one son. Only one of her daughters is employed, while the rest of her siblings are unemployed. Her employed daughter works as a domestic worker in Bangkok, and usually sends financial support of approximately $200 USD each month to support the entire family's needs. The financial support is barely enough for expenses like food and basic healthcare. Myint visited our medical partner's care center experiencing stomach aches, itchy skin, and a yellowing of her eyes and skin. Doctors advised her to undergo a CT scan, a procedure in which x-ray images taken from several angles are combined to produce cross-sectional images of the body. The scan would hopefully help them diagnose her condition and formulate an appropriate treatment plan. Our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, is helping Myint with her care, and is requesting $414 to cover the cost of Myint's CT scan, scheduled for April 1st. Myint said, "I have itchy skin, yellow eyes, I am unable to sleep well, I've lost my appetite and experience stomach aches. I cannot cook or carry firewood anymore. I am stressed because I am worried that I will not recover from my symptoms."

Wedeline's Timeline

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Funded by 20 donors

Treatment

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100% of your donation funds life-changing surgery.