Meet two-month-old Sebastian, a cheerful baby boy from Haiti. “Sebastien lives with his mother and father; he is their first child, and also the first grandchild in both families, so he gets a lot of attention from his family,” reports our medical partner, Haiti Cardiac Alliance (HCA). “He is usually a happy baby and rarely fusses. His father works in the construction trades, and his mother worked as a market vendor until Sebastien was born.”
Sebastien has severe pulmonary stenosis, a congenital defect that results from abnormal development of the fetal heart during the first eight weeks of pregnancy. “His pulmonary valve is too narrow to allow blood to pass freely through it,” explains HCA. “As a result, blood blacks up into his heart, causing heart failure and putting him at risk of sudden cardiac arrest.”
For $1500, Sebastien can travel overseas to receive surgery that will correct the width of his pulmonary valve. University Hospital of Martinique is contributing an additional $7,500 toward his surgery.
“A balloon will be inserted into the valve to stretch it open to a near-normal size,” reports HCA. “Following surgery, Sebastien’s pulmonary valve should function normally, and he should not need further intervention.”
This cost includes passports, visas, pre-departure diagnostic procedures, airline tickets, food support, calling cards to Haiti, a host family stipend, local expenses, and temporary travel insurance.
“The doctors explained to me that Sebastien’s problem is very serious and dangerous,” says Sebastien’s mother. “I’m so happy they will be able to fix it, God willing!”
