Marie is a young woman from Haiti. She lives with her mother, stepfather, and brother in the outskirts of Port-au-Prince. Although she previously attended university, she has not been studying for the past several years due to her heart problem.
Marie has a cardiac condition called rheumatic mitral stenosis. As a teenager, Marie suffered a rheumatic fever, which severely damaged one of the valves of her heart. As a result, blood can no longer flow through it, leaving her sickly and short of breath.
Marie will fly to the United States to receive treatment. On March 28, she will undergo cardiac surgery, during which surgeons will attempt to repair her native valve during an open-heart procedure if possible. Otherwise, they will replace it with a mechanical valve. Another organization, The Heart Hospital Baylor Plano, is contributing $60,000 to pay for surgery.
Marie’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 Marie’s family overseas.
She says, “I am excited to get back to a normal life after my valve surgery!”
