Mario is a boy from Haiti. He was born with a malformation of one of the four valves of his heart, which prevents it from opening and closing properly and circulating blood through his body in the way it needs. He will require open-heart surgery to repair the valve so that it can function more normally. He lives in a city on the southern coast of Haiti with his parents and three sisters; he is in the third grade and likes math.
Mario will fly to India to receive treatment. On August 5, he will undergo cardiac surgery. Another organization, Rotary International, is contributing $8,000 to pay for surgery.
His 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 his family overseas.