Meet Chelsea! Chelsea is a two year old girl from the Philippines, born on January 27, 2024.
Chelsea in the hospital after her procedure.
Chelsea was born with a congenital heart disease called Patent Ductus Arteriosus (PDA). The ductus arteriosus is a fetal blood vessel that helps blood bypass a baby’s fluid-filled lungs. It sends blood directly to the aorta and out to the body. After birth, this vessel normally closes as the lungs begin breathing air and oxygenating blood.
Sometimes, the vessel does not close. This causes PDA. Small PDAs may not cause symptoms, but larger PDAs can lead to a heart murmur, poor feeding, slow weight gain, fatigue, trouble breathing, and heavy sweating during play.
Doctors can treat a PDA with open-heart surgery or a catheter procedure. In Chelsea’s case, doctors closed her PDA in the catheterization lab. Dr. Cheng and Dr. Go at De Los Santos Medical Center used a catheter with a small coil device to reach the vessel and seal it. This minimally invasive procedure allows for a quick recovery!
Chelsea spent just three days in the hospital. Our partnership with the Rotary Club of Makati West and HeartGift made her procedure possible. Now, she is back home with her family and living life as a normal child!
Social Media Consultant for Gift of Life International
