Meet 12-year-old Dieulephete from Haiti. He's in the fifth grade and has many friends in the neighborhood he lives in with his mother, grandmother, and two brothers. "His favorite activities are to watch soccer matches on TV, and draw sketches of cars and buildings," the Haiti Cardiac Alliance (HCA) tells us.
"Dieulephete was born with a cardiac condition called patent ductus arteriosus, in which a hole between the aorta and the pulmonary artery which normally closes naturally when a child is born, instead remains open," HCA writes. "Blood flows through this hole, preventing normal circulation through the body. As a result, Dieulephete is frequently short of breath and out of energy."
Health City Cayman Islands has stepped up to help with Dieulephete's surgery, providing $5,000 to close the hole in his heart. But he still needs $1,500 for surgery prep and overseas transport.
"Following closure of the hole, Dieulephete should be able to lead a normal life with no cardiac symptoms," HCA says. "We were told not long after Dieulephete was born that he had this problem, but we didn't know what we could do about it," says Dieulephete's mother. "We're very happy to have a chance to fix the hole in his heart!"
All that's left to do is fund the remaining $1500 of Dieulephete's treatment so he can continue his life full of energy- which includes prep and overseas transport. Let's do this!