Bikensley is a preschooler from Haiti. He lives with his parents, who are rice farmers, in a river valley in central Haiti. He enjoys going to preschool and church.
Bikensley has a cardiac condition called Tetralogy of Fallot. This involves several related defects including a hole between two chambers of the heart, and a muscular blockage of one of the valves. These prevent blood from circulating adequately to the lungs, leaving him weak and short of breath.
On April 9, he will undergo cardiac surgery at St. Damien Hospital, our medical partner's care center. During surgery, surgeons will close the hole with a patch, and remove the blockage near his valve. Another organization, Gift of Life International, is contributing $5,000 to pay for surgery.
Bikensley's family also needs help to fund the costs of surgery prep. The $1,500 requested by our medical partner, Haiti Cardiac Alliance, covers cardiac exams and medications.
His father says, "We are happy that our son can have this surgery so that he will be able to walk to and from school next year."