Estherline is a 14-year-old girl who lives with her parents and four siblings in Haiti. Before she became sick, Estherline enjoyed going to school and church, and playing with her brothers and sisters.
Several years ago, Estherline contracted rheumatic fever, which caused damage to her heart. She developed a condition called mitral and aortic regurgitation, where blood backs up into her heart and does not properly circulate through her body. This condition causes Estherline to experience shortness of breath, painful breathing, fatigue, and swelling of the legs. If left untreated, her condition could become fatal.
Seeking treatment through our medical partner, Haiti Cardiac Alliance, Estherline is scheduled to undergo heart surgery to correct her condition on July 6. Although Estherline’s transportation to our medical partner’s care center has already been funded by Watsi, she is still in need of $1,500 to cover the cost of her heart surgery prep. The organization, Have a Heart Cayman, is also subsidizing Estherline’s surgery, donating $27,000 to cover the rest of her medical bills.
“I will pray that God blesses everyone that is helping our family through our daughter’s illness,” her mother says.