Richard is a ten-month-old baby boy from Haiti. His father is a motorcycle driver and his mother is a vendor.
Richard was born with a heart condition called ventricular septal defect and patent ductus arteriosus, where a hole exists between the two lower chambers of his heart and a second hole exists between two major blood vessels next to his heart. Blood leaks through these holes, leaving him weak and unable to gain weight.
Richard will fly to the Dominican Republic to receive treatment and will undergo heart surgery on May 3rd. During the procedure, surgeons will close the two holes so blood can no longer leak. Another organization, Gift of Life International, is contributing $5000.00 to pay for the surgery.
However, Richard’s family also needs help to fund the costs of surgery preparations and travel. Our partner, International Cardiac Alliance, requests $1,500 to cover labs, medicines, and doctors’ appointments. It also supports securing passports and travel documents for the social workers who will accompany Richard’s family overseas.
Richard’s mother says, “Our family is praying that the surgery goes well so that our son will grow strong and healthy.”