Sebastien is a toddler from Haiti. he lives in a neighborhood of Port-au-Prince with his parents and younger sister. His father works in construction, and his mother stays home to care for the children.
Sebastien has a cardiac condition called pulmonary atresia, or a rudimentary pulmonary valve. One of the four valves in Sebastien’s heart is malformed and does not open and close properly. As a young baby, he traveled to have the valve stretched open with a balloon. While this improved the function of his heart, the artery needs to be more completely reconstructed in order for him to be able to live a normal life.
Sebastien will fly to Cayman Islands to receive treatment. On February 2, he will undergo cardiac surgery, during which surgeons will use artificial material to construct a more normal pulmonary artery and valve. Another organization, Have a Heart Cayman, is contributing $24,000 to pay for surgery.
Sebastien’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 Sebastien’s family overseas.
His mother says, “Our family is very hopeful that our son can be healthy and energetic after this surgery.”