Irma
Irma is the first child of John and Teresa, both 20 years old. John works in construction and Teresa runs a snack shop; together they earn about $470 per month to cover their rent and other necessities for themselves and Teresa’s disabled mother, who also lives with them.
Teresa’s pregnancy suffered complications, and she was forced to give birth a month early by cesarean. Compounding the young couple’s suffering, their little girl was born with a severe heart malformation called total anomalous pulmonary drainage (TAVCD), which is when the veins that return blood to the lungs are not properly connected. Irma’s tiny body was not receiving the oxygen needed to survive. Babies with TAVCD generally are operated on as soon as possible to restore normal blood flow through the heart. Deciding when to operate can be extremely difficult, because doctors are hesitant to operate if they think the baby’s overall condition is too weak to withstand the open-heart procedure. On the other hand, the baby’s health will continue to decline the longer they wait.
Irma was barely a month old when her doctors determined they could not postpone surgery any longer. With her parents at her side, Irma fought for three days after her surgery, but she ultimately succumbed. Amid their heartbreak, the family expressed their gratitude to Puente de Solidaridad/ Solidarity Bridge for the support that allowed them to do everything possible to restore their firstborn’s health, despite the outcome.