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At 18 months, little Mario’s heart can stop at any moment
At the age of 1.5, Mario suffers from a life-threatening heart defect: ventricular septal defect and intrasystemic pulmonary hypertension.
The first signs of concern…
Mario is born at full term in Ampanotokana, Madagascar, on the outskirts of the capital. The delivery, by vaginal delivery and under the supervision of a midwife, goes well. At birth, the little boy weighs 4 kg and appears to be in perfect health.
Nevertheless, at just 2 months old, he began to cough persistently. Despite careful medical treatment, his condition did not improve. Respiratory distress soon set in, requiring hospitalization.
The pediatrician then detects a heart murmur. An ultrasound is performed: Mario has an interventricular communication (IVC) with pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH).
Every day, Mario’s life is in danger
Ventricular septal defect is a heart condition that causes abnormal blood flow. The role of the heart is to circulate blood throughout the body. The left ventricle receives oxygenated blood and propels it through the body, while the right ventricle receives unoxygenated blood and returns it to the lungs.
In Mario’s case, the wall separating these two parts of the heart is not watertight. As a result, everything mixes, blood floods his lungs, Mario is exhausted and his growth slows down. The little boy is currently undergoing medical treatment, but it’s not enough.
Only open-heart surgery can save this child
Mario urgently needs open-heart surgery to survive, but his parents can’t afford it because of their meager income. What’s more, due to the lack of specialized hospital facilities, such an operation is unfortunately not possible in Madagascar.
In order to recover, Mario has to be transferred to France: a medical team at the CHU de Bordeaux is ready to operate on him, and a foster family is also available to take care of him during his convalescence. But this care comes at a cost:
12,000, including transport costs, treatment and surgery.
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