Two-year-old Kenley lives in Haiti with his mother. He has three older siblings who have all graduated from college and are working.
Kenley was born with a cardiac condition called ventricular septal defect, which is characterized by a large hole between the two lower chambers of his heart. Blood passes through this hole without first passing through the lungs to obtain oxygen, leaving him sickly and weak. Kenley also has Down syndrome.
Because of Kenley’s age and Down syndrome status, he must undergo a cardiac catheterization procedure to determine whether his defect is still repairable. During the procedure, a catheter probe will be inserted into his heart to perform the necessary measurements and tests. Afterward, we will know whether repair surgery is possible for him.
$1,500 helps to cover the costs of passports and visa for travel to the Dominican Republic for the procedure, the medical facility fee, and five days of room and board.
At present, Kenley’s siblings support the family, but his mother hopes to find employment once Kenley is healthier. “I am praying that everything goes well and that there is a way to fix Kenley’s heart problem,” she shares.