Yorki is a 16-year-old boy living with his mother and father in a small city in the Dominican Republic. He has intellectual disabilities and attends a special education program, where he is learning to work as a bicycle mechanic.
Yorki was born with a cardiac condition called patent ductus arteriosus. This means a hole in his heart that normally closes shortly after birth remained open. Blood leaks through this hole without passing through the lungs to obtain oxygen, leaving him sickly and unable to gain weight.
Although Yorki is not Haitian, our medical partner, Haiti Cardiac Alliance, is collaborating with their partners in the Dominican Republic to offer treatment to Dominican children. He will undergo cardiac surgery at our medical partner’s care center.
First, Yorki will undergo a full cardiac assessment on February 17. This assessment will include physical exams, labs, and an overnight stay at the hospital. Haiti Cardiac Alliance is requesting $1,500 to fund these procedures. Funding for Yorki also covers the cost of medications and social support for him and him family. Gift of Life International is contributing $7,000 to cover additional costs associated with Yorki’s surgical care.
“My family would like to say thank you,” Yorki’s mother expresses, “to everyone who is helping God answer our prayers for our son.”
