During our second trip to Havana, Cuba, the BabyHeart team partnered with the medical team at Cardiocentro Pediatrico William Soler to perform 4 open heart surgeries, including the first surgery to repair a complex Congenital Heart Defect at this hospital.
Mauro
At only 8 days old, Mauro was diagnosed with Pulmonary Artresia and a Ventricular Septal Defect (VSD). Even at such a young age, Mauro showed what a warrior he was when he underwent a procedure to insert a Blalock Taussig Shunt to help manage the symptoms of his serious condition and allow him to grow. At some point, however, it was going to be time to permanently repair his complex heart defect. Since Cuba does not currently have access to the expensive conduit needed for this type of repair, the surgery was postponed.
Keeping in Contact
The family maintained contact with the BabyHeart team as Mauro grew to a two-year old. Through the partnership with the medical team at Cardiocentro Pediatrico William Soler, we knew that Mauro was ready for his next surgery. Thanks to the support of Across the Globe Children’s Foundation, the generosity of Maria Pessino, a long-term ICHF donor who has supported our efforts in Cuba and elsewhere for the past 2 years, and the donation of a Contegra Conduit needed for the surgery by Medtronic valued at $5,000, Mauro had his surgery earlier this month, and it was a success. Mauro’s mom, Lisy, expressed how grateful she is to the foundation and the donors who made this possible.
Good Things to Come
ICHF is proud to have been a part of this project at Cardiocentro Pediatrico William Soler. We believe that with the knowledge exchanged during our short time there, this partnership will equip the Cuban team with the tools needed to continue providing excellent care for the Cuban children.
