Emmanuella is a student from Haiti who lives with her parents and siblings in a small village in the southwest of the country. She has completed two years of high school but had to stop due to her illness and plans to resume after surgery. Emmanuella has a cardiac condition called rheumatic mitral regurgitation. One of the four valves of her heart was severely damaged due to a rheumatic fever she suffered earlier in childhood. As a result, her heart cannot adequately pump blood through her body, leaving her weak and with shortness of breath.
Because the surgery she needs is not available in Haiti, Emmanuella will need to fly to the United States to receive treatment for her condition. On November 18th, she will undergo cardiac surgery, during which surgeons will attempt to repair her damaged valve; if they are unable to, they will implant an artificial replacement. Another organization, Baylor Scott & White Heart Hospital, is contributing $20,000 to pay for her surgery.
Emmanuella’s family also needs help to fund the costs of surgery prep and travel. The $1,500 bill covers labs, medicine, and check-up and follow-up appointments. It also supports passport obtainment and the social worker from our medical partner, Haiti Cardiac Alliance, who will accompany Emmanuella overseas.
Emmanuella shares, “I am very hopeful that after this surgery, I will feel strong enough to go back to school and live my life!”