Day Three in the Dominican Republic
Day three began, as usual, with rounds and the hand-off from night shift to day shift. Today we once again had two surgeries and three catheterization procedures! This visit to CEDIMAT hospital in Santo Domingo is sponsored by Chain of Hope UK and Syosset High School Global Health Club. Together, we are working to heal little hearts across the world!
Local nurse working in the ICU.
Pursuing Brighter Futures, One Day at a Time
Ever and Deylan
Today, Ever received his open heart surgery! Ever was our first surgery this morning and rolled out of the operating room around two this afternoon. As stated yesterday, we still do not have his picture because he is in the process of rest and recovery! As soon as he is feeling better and up and at ‘em, we will have a picture of his sweet face.
A local doctor reports to the local and visiting ICU team after Ever’s surgery.
The visiting and local team listening and taking notes on Ever after he returned from surgery.
Our second surgery case today was Deylan! Deylan is a two month old baby who had a congenital heart disease called truncus arteriosus. Truncus arteriosus means that instead of two separate valves coming out of the heart, there is just one (called a trunk).
Deylan yesterday before his surgery.
Deylan came out of surgery at around four in the afternoon and is now healing alongside the rest of his peers. We will give more updates on Deylan as he grows stronger in the upcoming days!
Respiratory therapist, Stephanie Barbour, listens to Deylan’s heart.
Albert, Alhery, and Ana
Our first cath procedure today was on Albert!
Albert before his procedure.
Albert went into the cath lab today for a diagnostic cath procedure. This means that a catheter was used by the interventionist to get a closer look at the heart to decide whether or not it would be a good idea to proceed with an invasive, open-heart surgery.
Albert after his catheterization procedure.
Alhery was our second cath today! Alhery is an eight year old girl who also had a diagnostic cath procedure done.
Alhery before her procedure.
Ana was our final cath procedure today. Ana received heart healing care for an aortic coarctation. An aortic coarctation is a congenital heart disease where the main artery of the heart is narrowed, restricting blood flow to the lower body.
Ana before her procedure.
The Healing Tree
When you first arrive to the pediatric cardiac unit within CEDIMAT, you will see this painting of a tree on the wall. The tree on the wall was painted by donors to the David Ortiz Children’s Fund. These donors include the famous actor, Anthony Mackie, who helped paint the tree as well! That’s right… The Falcon!
The tree painted on the wall in the pediatric cardiac unit at CEDIMAT hospital.
There are stickers that have been placed on the tree, and they each mean something specific. The flower stickers represent the names of children who have had open heart surgery or a cath procedure at CEDIMAT. The leaves represent the names of doctors and nurses that are staff here at CEDIMAT. The butterflies represent the names of volunteers and donors!
Jeydi placing her sticker on the tree before heading home.
Noelia: The First Child Healed from DR
In 1985, the first child sent from the Dominican Republic to the United States for surgery, thanks to Gift of Life International and Dr. Eligio Mella, travelled to Saint Francis Hospital and Heart Center in New York. This child’s name was Noelia! Noelia received surgery when she was one year old. Now, forty years later, she is thriving in her career, has a loving husband, and two beautiful daughters!
Noelia pictured with her husband and two daughters during the holidays!
Noelia was an inspiration to those in the Dominican Republic who recognized the need for change. The necessity for medical professionals in this country to be able to heal little hearts. One of those people happened to be a man named Jordi Gasso!
Jordi Gasso, Noelia, Robbie Donno, and Ruben Goico at the Rotary meeting.
Jordi is Santo Domingo Rotary Club’s past District Governor, and has been involved with Gift of Life International since 1984. Jordi joined Rotary in March of 1985. Back then, the Rotary Club of Santo Domingo was sending several children a month to the United States and Canada for surgeries.
Jordi heard the current District Governor at the time, Dr. Eligio Mella, explain the process of helping a child and their parents travel to the States for surgery and was intrigued.
Jordi Gasso speaks to the Rotary club at their meeting.
Jordi adopted Dr. Mella’s vision when he became District Governor, and took over the operation of helping children receive their heart healing care. Jordi helped facilitate the growth of the Gift of Life program here in the Dominican Republic. When he started building the program, somebody told him to keep dreaming when he said his goal was for the hospital to eventually do two hundred fifty cases per year.
Now, the CEDIMAT hospital reports that they complete two hundred fifty to three hundred cases on their own every year, along with the help from the Gift of Life International teams. Jordi’s wife, Glorida de Gasso, is also an extremely present and instrumental individual in the program. She helps organize the visits and makes sure the children receive their Gift of Life t-shirts and teddy bears!
Jordi Gasso, the Director of Operations, Robbie Donno, and the president of the Rotary club at the meeting.
Yesterday evening, Robbie Donno and Dr. Daniel Garros were invited to the Rotary Club of Santo Domingo’s weekly meeting. Here, they were able to meet Noelia, spend time with members of the Rotary club, and tell both of their stories to the people who have helped support our program in the Dominican Republic for years.
Dr. Daniel Garros at the Rotary club meeting.
The Rotary Club of Santo Domingo and the local and visiting teams here at CEDIMAT are amazing examples of what we mean when we talk about our global network of partners. All over the world, people from all occupations, life-styles, backgrounds, religions, and ethnicities put their differences aside and come together to help heal the hearts of children. That is what this work is all about!
We Are Halfway Through the Week!
The visiting ICU team poses with a local doctor after a night shift!
Can you believe we are already halfway through the week?! We are rocking and rolling healing little hearts and will continue to persevere through Friday! Tomorrow, we plan to have two more heart healing surgeries, as well as three more catheterization procedures! Stay tuned!
Social Media Consultant for Gift of Life International
