Marcus is a six-month-old infant from the Dominican Republic. He lives in Santo Domingo with his parents, and he is their first child. His mother currently stays at home to care for Marcus, and his father is a police officer.
Marcus was born with a coarctation of the aorta, a cardiac condition in which the aorta is abnormally narrow. This makes it difficult for blood to flow. As a result, his heart has to pump harder to push the blood, which can lead to heart failure.
Although Marcus is not Haitian, our medical partner, Haiti Cardiac Alliance, is collaborating with their partners in the Dominican Republic to offer treatment to Dominican children. He will undergo cardiac surgery at our medical partner’s care center.
First, Marcus will undergo a full cardiac assessment on February 16. This assessment will include physical exams, labs, and an overnight stay at the hospital. Haiti Cardiac Alliance is requesting $1,500 to fund these procedures. Funding for Marcus also covers the cost of medications and social support for him and him family. Gift of Life International is contributing $7,000 to cover additional costs associated with Marcus’s surgical care.
“We have seen that Marcus has been very sick ever since he was born,” says Marcus’s mother. “We are hopeful that this surgery can help him.”