One year old Fatma from Zanzibar, whose mother was saved in Israel by Save a Child's Heart 20 years ago, underwent successful lifesaving heart surgery yesterday at Wolfson Medical Center. She is the 5,000th child treated by Save a Child's Heart.
Three months ago, former patient, Balkis arrived at the annual SACH clinic in Zanzibar with her 1 year old baby daughter Fatma, and amazingly, on arrival, Balkis was recognized as a SACH patient who received life saving heart surgery at the Wolfson Medical Center in Holon, Israel 20 years before. Fatma was subsequently examined and diagnosed with the exact defect that her mother had suffered from and was treated for and it was determined that soon, Fatma would also be flown to Israel to receive the life saving medical procedure she needed thanks to SACH Canada.
After being selected to once again make the journey from Zanzibar to Israel, Balkis entrusted Save a Child’s Heart to save the life of her daughter, Fatma underwent a successful life saving heart operation yesterday.
Now, at only 1 year old, Fatma is a beautiful, very tiny and was a very sick baby. Fatma’s first year was full of hardship and challenges; she was constantly in and out of the hospital, growing sicker by the day. Doctors diagnosed Fatma with congenital heart disease and Balkis was told that to save her daughter’s she would have to once again seek treatment outside of Zanzibar. Balkis and Fatma arrived in Israel on the evening of May 16th, as part of a group of 12 children, 8 mothers and two nurses from Zanzibar. The patients selected to come to Israel at this time, are among the 398 children screened in a joint effort by five Israeli female physicians and a local Zanzibar medical team at the Mnazi Mmoja Hospital in February 2019 which was also sponsored by Save a Child’s Heart Canada.
Just like Fatma, we believe that all children suffering from heart disease, and deserve a second chance at life and are grateful to Save a Child’s Heart Canada for Fatma’s care and the entire world wide Save a Child's Heart family for the never-ending, lifesaving support we give today and every day.
Fatma is currently recovering and her doctors are pleased with her progress and recovery. She remains at the Save a Child’s Heart Children’s Home, together with more than 30 other children brought to Israel by SACH from Tanzania, Ethiopia, Zambia, Kenya, Uganda, Iraq, Gaza and the West Bank, who require urgent heart surgery.
In the next few weeks, Balkis will return to her home in Zanzibar, with her little baby
Fatma, who received a second chance at life and became Save a Child’s Heart 5000th child.
This is a major milestone for Save a Child's Heart. Thank you from the bottom our of hearts to the amazing and dedicated medical team of the Wolfson Medical Center, to our volunteers, donors, supporters and to the worldwide family of Save a Child's Heart - thank you for making this miracle happen.
