Treating Congenital Heart Disease for Poor Minority Kids
On November 17, 2023, through arrangements and sponsorship of United Foundation for China’s Health (UFCH), three children from Golmud City, Qinghai Province, underwent surgery at Beijing United Family Hospital. They ranged in age from 7 to 11 and all had congenital heart disease.
Chen Chen is the youngest. She is a child of a single-parent family, her father has worked far from home for many years. She was accompanied by her grandfather to Beijing for surgery. Chen Chen has a ventricular septal defect, and her disease is the most severe of the group. “Chen Chen’s operation took nearly three hours, which is longer than the other two children,” Chen Chen’s grandfather told us. “The operation went very smoothly and the recovery is good. Thank you for helping her to have the surgery.”
“I am the best at drawing in my class. I want to be a teacher like my aunt.” She said while drawing as she began to draw for us. Chen Chen is in the first grade of primary school. Due to heart disease, she hasn’t been able to do strenuous exercise since childhood, but she is a very good artist. “Dessert is my favorite food, so I’m going to draw a watermelon lollipop for you.” Chen Chen outlines with meticulous straight lines. She looks just like a little teacher.
Chen Chen wrote to UFCH:
Hi uncle and aunt from UFCH, thank you for your loving support, you made me feel the warmth of society. I will remember all those who have helped me, and I will help others in the future just like what you did to me.
In the process of talking with the kids, we found that one of the kid’s younger brother had disease in his eyes. After examination by an ophthalmologist and a neurosurgeon, it was found that the child had optic nerve atrophy. The doctor explained the situation and daily precautions to the parents. UFCH will continue to follow up the this child’s situation and provide necessary medical assistance to other disadvantage groups in the Golmud area.