Rivaldo is a four-year-old boy from Haiti. He lives with his mother and grandmother in a neighborhood of the capital, where he goes to pre-school. He loves to read and play games with his classmates and neighbors. Rivaldo has a cardiac condition called ventricular septal defect where a hole exists between the two lower chambers of his heart. Blood leaks through this hole without passing through the lungs to obtain oxygen, leaving him weak and short of breath.
Rivaldo will fly to the Dominican Republic to receive treatment. On July 24th, he will undergo cardiac surgery, where surgeons will sew a patch over the hole in his heart so that blood can no longer leak through it. Another organization, Haiti Cardiac Alliance, is contributing $8,000 to help pay for the surgery.
Rivaldo’s family also needs help to fund the costs of surgery prep. The $1,500 will cover labs, medicines, check up and follow-up appointments. It also supports passport obtainment and enable social workers from our medical partner, International Cardiac Alliance, to accompany Rivaldo’s family overseas.
Rivaldo’s mother says, “Our family is all very thankful to everyone who is helping to save our son’s life.”