Nephtalie is a student from Haiti. She lives with her mother and younger sister in a neighborhood of Port-au-Prince. She enjoys going to school and attending church. Nephtalie has a cardiac condition called rheumatic mitral stenosis. One of the four valves of her heart is too tight and narrow as a result of a fever suffered earlier in her childhood. Blood backs up behind the valve, leading to heart failure.
Nephtalie will fly to India to receive treatment. On February 25, she will undergo cardiac surgery, during which Surgeons will first attempt to open the valve by inserting a catheter and expanding a balloon. If this is not successful, they will immediately proceed to open-heart surgery to open the valve. Our medical partner, Haiti Cardiac Alliance, is contributing $5,000 to pay for surgery.
Nephtalie'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 Nephtalie's family overseas.
She says, "I am very happy to have this surgery so I can be healthy and stop worrying about my health."