3 Million Children Are Dying From Hole In The Heart

It is one of the deadliest birth defects in the developing world.

A baby is born with a tiny hole in the heart. The hole causes less oxygen to be circulated to the body — and causes the heart to work harder and harder to compensate.

As the child grows, and his or her body gets larger, the problem gets worse. These children fail to thrive. They are smaller and sicklier than their peers. And unless the hole is fixed, they usually die. Every child born with hole in the heart in the U.S. and Europe automatically receives surgery that cures it. But in the developing world, for millions of children, hole in the heart is usually a death sentence.

The Good News Is That The Majority Of These Kids Could Be Saved Through A Miracle Surgery

It takes just a couple of hours. And costs just a couple thousand dollars.

For a surgeon to insert a small patch, the size of a child’s fingernail, over the hole in the heart. This tiny patch can completely close the hole – and completely solve the problem. Instantly and permanently as the patch integrates with the surrounding tissue of the heart. After surgery, most children recover quickly and go on to lead long and healthy lives. This problem does not come back.

This surgery does require a heart and lung machine. But in many developing countries, these machines are available – as are the surgeons and hospitals who are capable of providing this procedure. With financial support, free training, education and equipment from WonderWork, local surgeons can provide thousands of these miracle surgeries for children who would otherwise never receive them.