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Two-year-old Angela Estrella was born in El Alto, La Paz, Bolivia. As early as the first week of her life, her mother suspected she had a heart defect, as Angela tired quickly and was unable to breathe properly. In April 2014, she underwent her first ultrasound scan at the children’s hospital. It was not until two months later, armed with the results, that her mother sought help from the Heart Association.
On the same day, Angela Estrella was placed on the waiting list. She had a patent ductus arteriosus and also trisomy 21. Estrella’s father has left the family, so the little girl’s mother is a single parent. The two of them live with the grandparents in a single room with a kitchen. The mother, Warita Garcia (aged 18), works as an assistant in the informal sector, processing ‘Lejia’, a soft drink. Angela’s mother was completely overwhelmed by the high cost of heart surgery (approx. 7,000 EUR).
Deysi was born in La Paz in 2015. Various heart defects have been known to affect Deysi since her birth. Unfortunately, however, she has never received treatment. Deysi has two heart conditions: an atrial septal defect (where there is a hole in the wall between the right and left atria) and a ventricular septal defect (a hole in the wall between the ventricles).
The girl has been admitted to Arco Iris Hospital on several occasions. The child protection agency currently has custody of the girl, as her parents were reported by neighbours for abuse.
The child protection agency, together with the hospital management, sought treatment options to save Deysi’s life.
The Fundación Cardioinfantil was contacted by the Youth Welfare Office on 28 September 2015 to help fund the cost of the operation. The parents have no fixed address in La Paz. The family lives on the streets. The father has no steady job. The mother works on the streets as a car cleaner and spent several months in prison.
Together with our partner, the Heart Association/Fundación Cardioinfantil (Bonn-La Paz), we have now been able to raise the funds for the heart operation. Both girls have now undergone successful surgery – and you, dear donors, have given Angela and Daysi a new lease of life. Thank you very much!
— Update from 13 December 2015 —
Angela Estrella Ticona Garcia – one of our young heart patients in La Paz has finally had her heart operation!
Two-year-old Angela Estrella was born in El Alto, La Paz, Bolivia. As early as the first week of her life, her mother suspected a heart defect, as Angela tired quickly and was unable to breathe properly. In April 2014, an initial ultrasound scan was carried out at the children’s hospital. It was not until two months later that her mother sought help from the heart charity with the results.
On the same day, Angela Estrella was placed on the waiting list. She had a patent ductus arteriosus and also trisomy 21. Estrella’s father has left the family, so the little girl’s mother is a single parent. The two of them live with her grandparents in a single room with a kitchen. Her mother, Warita Garcia (aged 18), works as an assistant in the informal sector, processing ‘Lejia’, a soft drink. Angela’s mother was completely overwhelmed by the high cost of heart surgery (approx. 7,000 EUR). Together with our partner, the Heart Association/Fundación Cardioinfantil (Bonn-La Paz), we have now been able to cover the costs of the heart operation.
And you, dear donors, have given Angela a new lease of life. Thank you very much!
