Ivan
Ivan is an enthusiastic 6-year-old boy who loves to play soccer with his three older stepsiblings and loves to help his parents around the house with different activities. Being born prematurely resulted in him needing to have permanent cardiology check-ups. It has been difficult for Ivan’s parents to complete all of the check-ups because they lack economic resources and there aren’t any cardiac specialists in his hometown.
Ivanʼs stepfather is unemployed but engages in some independent activities in the area of accounting trying to generate money to help with his family. Ivanʼs mother has a permanent job as a secretary in a real estate agency, but worries a lot about Ivanʼs condition since he is her only child. Her extended family helps care for Ivan, but they donʼt have the ability to provide financial support to help with his worsening health condition.
Ivan has been relatively stable since birth. He puts on a strong face with tasks that require more effort. However, in spite of his resilience, Ivan frequently catches colds. He was admitted to the hospital recently for pneumonia. During this hospital stay, doctors discovered Ivan had multiple heart problems and would need open-heart surgery in another hospital to fix them. His parents were unable to afford the cost of travel and surgery so they began looking for support and hosting campaigns to raise money. With the help of Puente de Solidaridad, the Goff Gift Fund, and the Herzeverein Foundation Ivan was able to undergo surgery in November at the Los Angeles Clinic in Cochabamba. He was released from the hospital less than a week later. Ivan’s successful surgery has been the greatest gift of hope and joy for his extended family and community.
Two weeks after surgery, Ivan’s father shared, “Ivan is a different child now. His change is noticeable. His heart doesn’t beat so hard and fast as it did before. He has gained a little weight. He looks like a different child. Thank you very much for this opportunity in his life.”