Valentina is a 14-month-old girl from Bolivia. She has five older siblings and loves to laugh and play with her family. Her father works as a driver, and her mother sells food.
When she was a young baby, Valentina’s parents noticed she was always agitated and couldn’t breathe normally, so they took her to the doctor who diagnosed a heart condition called ventricular septal defect. This means there is a hole between the two lower chambers of her heart and blood leaks through this hole instead of circulating normally, leaving her weak and short of breath. Valentina also has Down syndrome.
On December 3rd, Valentina will undergo heart surgery at our medical partner’s care center, Hospital del Niño Dr. Ovidio Aliaga UrĂa. During surgery, surgeons will sew a patch over the hole in her heart so that blood will no longer leak through it. Valentina’s family needs help to fund the costs of cardiac care and surgery. Our medical partner, International Cardiac Alliance, requests $1,500 to cover the cost of cardiac exams and diagnostics, surgical costs, follow-up care, and medications.
Valentina’s father said, “Valentina is a sweet little girl, we hope everything goes well, so she can have a healthy heart!”

