Luciennie is a young woman from Haiti. She lives with her mother and two sisters in a neighborhood of Port-au-Prince. She stopped her studies several years ago due to her heart ailment, but hopes to return to school once she is feeling better.
Luciennie has a cardiac condition called rheumatic mitral regurgitation. She suffered an untreated strep throat as a teenager, which infected the valves of her heart and caused them to become severely damaged. As a result, they cannot adequately pump blood through her body, leaving her fatigued and short of breath.
Luciennie will fly to the United States to receive treatment. On March 29, she will undergo cardiac surgery, during which surgeons will attempt to repair her damaged valve if possible. If not, they will implant an artificial valve to replace it. Another organization, The Heart Hospital Baylor Plano, is contributing $60,000 to pay for surgery.
Luciennie’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 Luciennie’s family overseas.
She says, “My family and I are praying for everyone who is helping me!”
