Success! Wesly from Haiti raised $1,500 for life-saving heart surgery.

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$1,500 raised, $0 to go

$1,500

raised

to go

Wesly's story
Wesly's update

February 15, 2016

“I want to go back to school and live a normal life,” shares Wesly, a 20-year-old student living in Haiti. Wesly has been diagnosed with a heart defect called mitral and aortic regurgitation. As a result of this condition, two of Wesly’s heart valves cannot pump blood regularly.

Wesly’s heart is now starting to fail. “Without urgent surgery, this condition would be fatal,” says our medical partner, Haiti Cardiac Alliance (HCA).

Wesly lives with his aunt and grandmother, who have raised him since he was little. He is a junior in high school and he enjoys riding his bike and reading books when he is not working on his dream of becoming a mechanical engineer.

HCA has raised $12,000 to cover the cost of Wesly’s heart surgery. However, an additional $1,500 is needed to fund surgery preparation and overseas transportation, as this specialized procedure is not readily available in Haiti.

During surgery, “one or possibly two artificial valves will be implanted in Wesly’s heart, replacing the damaged ones,” HCA explains. Once he receives surgery, “he should be able to lead a near-normal life although he will require daily blood-thinning medication for the rest of his life, and periodic blood tests.”

“I want to go back to school and live a normal life,” shares Wesly, a 20-year-old student living in Haiti. Wesly has been diagnosed with a h...

Photo of Wesly post-operation

March 30, 2016

Wesly received life-saving heart surgery.

Wesly, who was diagnosed with a heart defect called mitral and aortic regurgitation, received successful surgery which replaced his aortic valve with an artificial valve and repaired his other heart valves.

His heart now pumps blood more normally, and although he will require daily medication for the rest of his life, he should be able to lead a full and active life, his doctors tell us.

“I am very excited that I can now finish high school and start university later this year,” shares Wesly.

Wesly, who was diagnosed with a heart defect called mitral and aortic regurgitation, received successful surgery which replaced his aortic v...

February 15, 2016
PROFILE SUBMITTED
Wesly was submitted by Owen Robinson, Executive Director at Haiti Cardiac Alliance.
February 22, 2016
TREATMENT OCCURRED
Wesly received treatment at Health City Cayman Islands in Cayman Islands. Medical partners often provide care to patients accepted by Watsi before those patients are fully funded, operating under the guarantee that the cost of care will be paid for by donors.
March 1, 2016
PROFILE PUBLISHED
Wesly's profile was published to start raising funds.
March 3, 2016
FULLY FUNDED
Wesly's treatment was fully funded.
March 30, 2016
TREATMENT UPDATE
Wesly's treatment was successful. Read the update.

Funded by 45 donors

Treatment

Overseas Prep and Transportation

Diagnosis
Procedure

Symptoms
Impact on patient's life
Cultural or regional significance

What kinds of symptoms do patients experience before receiving treatment?

When a hole exists in the heart, a physician can hear a buzzing noise, or murmur, in the child's chest as blood passes through the hole at high velocity. The child's parents might notice that their son or daughter cannot keep up with other children in daily activities. In severe cases, the lack of oxygen in the bloodstream can lead to dramatic symptoms, such as blue lips and tongue, clubbed fingers and toes, and heart failure. The patients treated by Haiti Cardiac Alliance tend to fall into two categories. They are either born with some type of hole or defect in the heart, or they develop valve disease as a result of an untreated strep throat infection (rheumatic fever). Patients with rheumatic valve disease experience swelling of the abdomen and extremities, as the heart tries to circulate blood through the body despite the valve's dysfunction.

What is the impact on patients’ lives of living with these conditions?

Virtually all of the conditions treated at Haiti Cardiac Alliance will eventually lead to death without surgery, the majority of them within one to two years. In the meantime, patients experience heart failure as their hearts struggle to compensate for the presence of leaks or other defects. In most conditions, the heart becomes fatigued, limiting the child's ability to be active, go to school, and participate in daily life.

What cultural or regional factors affect the treatment of these conditions?

Families in Haiti often have complex cultural mechanisms for understanding cardiac illnesses and their causes, sometimes involving voudou or other religious belief systems. Nevertheless, the overwhelming majority of Haitian families in our medical partner's program also engage with the medical explanations and treatment of these conditions. Parents are willing and cooperative participants in their child's treatment.

Process
Impact on patient's life
Risks and side-effects
Accessibility
Alternatives

What does the treatment process look like?

The patient is first referred to our medical partner, Haiti Cardiac Alliance (HCA), by a pediatrician or another medical practitioner who detects symptoms that might be cardiac in nature. HCA staff then perform an echocardiogram to diagnose the cardiac condition. If surgery is required, the child joins a triaged waitlist to be placed for surgery with partner hospitals. It can sometimes take 6-12 months to move through this waitlist. During this period, HCA provides periodic cardiac checkups, changing the patient's triage position as appropriate. The child and his/her guardian then travel to the hospital with an HCA social worker. Typically, the child spends 4-5 days in or near the hospital prior to surgery for testing and examinations. After surgery, he or she spends several more days as an inpatient prior to being discharged. When the child is strong enough to travel, usually after several more weeks, he/she returns home to Haiti. HCA provides regular cardiac checkups for at least five years postoperatively before the final discharge from their program.

What is the impact of this treatment on the patient’s life?

These treatments are almost always life-saving in nature. These cardiac conditions are not survivable over the long-term without surgery. Within weeks after surgery, the patient should notice a difference in energy level. Many patients also undergo a growth spurt and/or gain significant weight after a surgery.

What potential side effects or risks come with this treatment?

The risk of death during or shortly after an open-heart surgical procedure is about 3%. Other risks, though rare, include stroke and post-operative infection. In a small percentage of cases, the material used to patch the hole "blows," and a follow-up surgery is necessary to re-patch the defect.

How accessible is treatment in the area? What is the typical journey like for a patient to receive care?

Patients come to Haiti Cardiac Alliance (HCA) from the entirety of Haiti. This can involve three days of travel in buses, pickup trucks, or even on horseback. There is no cardiac surgery of any kind available in Haiti outside of the HCA treatment network.

What are the alternatives to this treatment?

In general, patients are treated with medications to prevent heart failure until they are ready to travel. Patients may also seek care from traditional healers, who may use liquids and powders derived from local plants and roots.

Meet another patient you can support

100% of your donation funds life-changing surgery.

Kosal, who is 35 years old, lives in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. His three sisters, and the majority of his family members, reside in a rural province and earn their living as rice farmers. Around one month ago, Kosal developed a sinus infection. As a result of the infection, he experiences a fever, and swelling of his sinus, as well as pus and drainage from his nostrils. Our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, is helping Kosal access the treatment he needs to relieve the pressure in his sinus and drain the pus from his nose. On May 2nd, Kosal will undergo a preauricular sinus incision at Kien Khleang National Rehabilitation Centre, which will restore his ability to breathe comfortably. Kosal needs help to raise $297 to cover the cost of his procedure. Kosal shared, "I hope I can feel comfortable again and go back to my job feeling good."

Babra is a small-scale business owner from Uganda. She is a mother of three children and has been married for the past twelve years. During her free time, she enjoys spending time with her family. She currently owns a fruit vending shop in her hometown where she sells mangoes, tomatoes, watermelons, and oranges for income, while her husband drives a taxi. They rent a one-bedroom home in a Rukungiri town. She is currently expecting her fourth child. Her doctors recommended that she deliver via a cesarean section (C-Section) because of three previous scars. This procedure will help prevent further complications that may arise if she does not deliver via C-Section. This way, doctors can ensure the safety of both mother and child. Fortunately, our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare (AMF), will be performing Babra's C-Section on February 17th. AMF is requesting $252 to fund this procedure. Barbra says, “Your support will be a blessing to me, and I hope to have a successful delivery.”

Reth is a 66-year-old father from Cambodia. He lives in a rural village with his wife and daughter. He and his wife are potato farmers, and his daughter works in a nearby retail shop. In his free time, Reth likes to look after his chicken coop and enjoys the fresh eggs he gets from his chickens. About three years ago, Reth developed a lump on his left shoulder. He has been diagnosed with a lipoma- a non-cancerous mass. The lipoma causes discomfort and disrupts Reth's ability to work as much as he would like to. Reth is also worried that the lipoma will continue to increase in size. Fortunately, our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, can help Reth access the care he needs. On May 1st, surgeons at Kien Khleang National Rehabilitation Centre will remove the mass. Now, Reth needs your help to fund this $273 procedure. Reth shared: "After surgery, I hope I can feel healthy again."

Wesly's Timeline

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Funded by 45 donors

Treatment

Meet another patient you can support

100% of your donation funds life-changing surgery.