Guertha is a mother of one from Haiti. She lives with her parents and young son on a small farm in the mountains of northern Haiti. Guertha has a cardiac condition called severe rheumatic mitral regurgitation. One of the four valves of her heart cannot open and close properly due to an infection she suffered several years ago. As a result, her heart cannot adequately circulate blood through her body and she is weak and short of breath.
Guertha will fly to Dominican Republic to receive treatment. On May 1, she will undergo cardiac surgery, during which surgeons will remove her damaged valve and implant an artificial replacement. Another organization, Fundacion Heart Care Dominicana, is contributing $10,000 to pay for surgery.
Guertha’s family also needs help to fund the costs of surgery prep. The $1,500 bill covers labs, medicines, and checkup and followup appointments. It also supports passport obtainment and the social workers from our medical partner, Haiti Cardiac Alliance, who will accompany Guertha’s family overseas.
She says, “I am hopeful that after this surgery I will have my health and energy back!”