February 10, 2014
Say hello to Christella, a 10-year-old girl from Haiti! Christella is an outgoing girl with a sharp and playful sense of humor who hugs everyone she meets. She is also fighting for her life.
Christella came down with rheumatic fever several years ago. As a result, the mitral and aortic valves of her heart are severely damaged and can only weakly pump blood to the rest of her body. Her abdomen and legs frequently become swollen, and she experiences chronic heart failure, making it difficult for her to play with her friends.
For $1,500, a surgical procedure can be performed that will repair Christella’s faulty valves if possible, or replace them with artificial valves. Christella should have near-normal heart function after the surgery, and be able to live a normal life. Without the surgery, her doctors say it’s unlikely she will live much longer. Let’s help Christella get healthcare so she can live and play easily again!
Say hello to Christella, a 10-year-old girl from Haiti! Christella is an outgoing girl with a sharp and playful sense of humor who hugs ever...
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February 12, 2015
Christella received surgery to repair her mitral and aortic valves and save her life.
Christella’s doctor says, “Christella’s damaged valve was able to be repaired during surgery, not replaced with an artificial valve; this is fantastic news, because by avoiding valve replacement she will not require surgery in the future and will not need long-term anticoagulation medicines. Christella’s heart function will return to near-normal levels over the coming months, and she should be able to live a completely normal life with no limitations or cardiac symptoms.” Her mother adds, “everyone in our village thought Christella was going to die. They are going to be amazed when we get home and they all see her.”
Christella's doctor says, "Christella's damaged valve was able to be repaired during surgery, not replaced with an artificial valve; this is...
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