Maicol
Maicol was born into a family with limited financial resources. His father is a taxi driver and his mother works in the home. Having suffered the loss of a previous pregnancy, Maicol’s parents were determined to raise a healthy child. The couple faithfully completed prenatal check-ups on schedule, noting with concern that the child’s heartbeat was hard to detect. Just a week after his birth, Maicol suffered high fevers and his parents took him to the emergency room at the Children’s Hospital in Santa Cruz. The hospital’s cardiologist determined that the baby suffered a condition which accounts for about 10% of all congenital heart anomalies – the persistence of the patent ductus arteriosus (PDA). In Maicol’s case, surgery was required to close the ductus, using a clip of appropriate size to gently close the open ductus. Untreated PDA of this child could have led to obstructive pulmonary disease and heart failure.
Maicol’s parents expressed their deep gratitude to all those who made this surgery possible:
We would not have had the resources for our child’s surgery. We are grateful for those who came to our rescue.