Bernard
Aaron, Hannah and their two boys live in a Mennonite community outside of Santa Cruz, Bolivia. They welcomed their younger son, Bernard, two years ago. He was a sweet and gentle baby. However, as time went on Bernard became more and more fragile with his health which prompted the family to seek a doctor.
Cardiologists determined that Bernard had a heart condition called ventricular septal defect (VSD). This kind of medical diagnosis would require surgical correction. Aaron and Hannah returned home to seek help from their community and extended family. As time went by, they could see Bernard’s condition was worsening as he developed a fever and was unable to walk.
Aaron shared, “We are worried, and we are doing everything possible to heal our son. Our community will support us with a loan. The most important thing is the health of our child. Thank you very much for your support.”
Doctors at the Incor Clinic in Santa Cruz referred Aaron and Hannah to the Solidarity Bridge Pediatric Heart Program for financial support. Through this program, the Fundacor Foundation, and the Goff Gift Fund, the family was able to make the surgery possible. Doctors Barrientos and Jaldín worked together to close the hole in Bernard’s heart. He remained in the hospital for five days before returning home. Two months after surgery, Bernard was healthy and happy and resuming all normal activities at home with his family.