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Diana is a beaming three-year-old who lives with her father, mother, and maternal grandmother in Santa Cruz, Bolivia. When she was only five months-old she caught a bad cold. Her parents took her for a check-up and doctors found a heart murmur. Diana was diagnosed with patent ductus arteriosus (PDA), but doctors told her parents that the opening in Diana’s heart might still close on its own.
In the summer of 2022, Diana became delicate and was hospitalized with pneumonia. All of the diagnostic tests pointed to an ongoing problem with Diana’s heart. She was in need of catheterization procedure to close the hole so that she could continue to grow into a healthy girl.
Diana’s father works strenuously as a taxi driver with a variable income that covers the support of his family, while Diana’s mother stays at home monitoring Diana’s condition. Diana’s mother shared, “We are worried because her PDA has grown larger. We want our daughter to be healthy. We are organizing solidarity activities in order to cover the cost of the many tests that she needs. As parents, we will do everything we possibly can so that Diana can have this operation and regain her health. We are grateful for all of the support you are providing.”
With support from the Puente de Solidaridad Pediatric Heart Surgery Program, Diana was able to undergo the procedure to close the hole in her hear at the Incor Clinic in Santa Cruz. She was released from the hospital the following day. Diana’s family is relieved and grateful that they can all move forward and celebrate their little girl’s health and bright future.