A heart saved by a good deed

This project was created as part of Vodafone Ukraine's charity program “A Good Deed as a Gift”.

Congenital heart defects in children are not always diagnosed on time. Often, children live with the disease for years without realizing the problem. In many cases, the defect is discovered by chance - during an examination for another reason or at the stage of serious complications.

Such defects are holes in the intercardiac septa that disrupt normal blood flow. Over time, the defects can increase, and the edges of the hole are deformed under blood pressure. This leads to a decrease in heart function, heart failure, and sometimes even life-threatening.

Modern medicine offers a minimally traumatic method of treatment - endovascular surgery using an occluder. This is an implant that is inserted into the heart through a small puncture in the vessel and closes the defect. This operation does not require cardiac arrest or opening of the chest, and the child can return home in a few days.

However, the main obstacle for many families is the high cost of implants, which are not funded by the state.

Thanks to the participation of Vodafone Ukraine and the support of caring people, this project will give a chance for a healthy childhood to another child who will receive the necessary help at the Amosov National Institute of Cardiovascular Surgery.

Milana Usata, 5 years old, Vinnytsia region.
The girl has had a congenital heart defect since birth. Recently, Milana's condition began to worsen. Additional tests showed that the defect had increased. Surgery is urgently needed to stop the progression of the disease. Milana is growing up without a father; her mother is raising her alone. The family cannot afford to purchase the implant needed for the surgery on their own.