Luciana is a 19-month-old baby girl from Bolivia. She lives with her mom, who works selling chicken, her dad, who works as a driver, and one older brother.
Luciana’s mother noticed Luciana was not gaining weight and she was not growing properly like the children of her age. Because there are few pediatric cardiologists in their area, she was only recently diagnosed with a cardiac condition called a ventricular septal defect. A hole exists between the two lower chambers of her heart; blood leaks through this hole instead of circulating normally, leaving her weak and short of breath.
On February 4th, Luciana will undergo cardiac surgery at our medical partner’s care center, Hospital del Niño Dr. Ovidio Aliaga Uría. During surgery, surgeons will sew a patch over the hole in her heart so that blood can no longer leak through it.
Luciana’s family needs help to fund the costs of cardiac care and surgery. Our medical partner, International Cardiac Alliance, requests $1,500 to cover the cost of cardiac exams and diagnostics, surgical costs, follow-up care, and medications.
Luciana’s mother shared, “We were so worried about my child, but now we can see a light at the end of the tunnel. We are so grateful she can have this surgery.”