This is Dah Si. She’s 16-years-old and lives with her parents in Burma. The family works on a small vegetable farm to support themselves. Being self reliant is really important to them.
“Dah Si first became aware she had a heart condition in August this year, when she went to the doctor to get treatment for a bad cold and the attending doctor detected a heart murmur,” Burma Border Projects (BBP) tells us. “Dah Si said she currently feels fine and doesn’t see herself as a sick person.”
“This is not uncommon,” continues Dah Si. “Most people with mitral valve prolapse have no symptoms. One thing she does notice, however, is that she has heavy heart palpitations. Another thing she has noticed is that she has lost some weight over the last few months. She still has a good appetite but she struggles to keep food down.”
Clinicians at BBP have recommended a mitral valve replacement for Dah Si. The cost of this procedure is $1500 - not something the family can cover independently - but will benefit Dah Si greatly. “After receiving treatment in Thailand, Dah Shi can return to her family farm in Burma,” BBP writes. “She will be able to go about her daily life without having to worry about the impact of certain activities on her heart.”