Florencia
Florence, 16 years old, was excited when she came across the Puente de Solidaridad Facebook page. She discovered the organization provided help for children, like her, with congenital heart problems. And she made a plan to visit the organization and ask for help.
Florencia had faced many challenges in her young life due her heart condition, her parents’ separation, and the strain of being raised by a single mother. The Puente de Solidaridad team was moved by Florencia’s story and were eager to help her access surgery. They could see her pathology was quite complex, affecting her physical growth and many other aspects of her life. They were motivated to help when she shared, “I love my mother very much and I want to be brave for her. It hurts her to see how limited I am because of my heart condition. You see how I’m smaller than most teenagers. I know my mom is trying so hard. That’s why I came to you for help. She’s all I have and I’m all she has. We’re so grateful for any support you can provide.”
With help from Puente de Solidaridad, the Goff Gift Fund, local donors, and partner surgeons, Florencia was able to receive the surgery needed to correct her heart defect. Florencia expressed gratitude to all who contributed to restoring her health and feeling of basic human dignity. She also shared she felt new strength to be there for her mother and to help others who struggle with challenging health issues.