Bakun Nastia

At 7 years old, Nastuna – who has a congenital heart defect – has an open arterial duct. Her parents learned about it through their persistence. Since birth, the child has frequently suffered from colds. After reading online that recurring colds can be caused by heart problems, the parents insisted that the regional hospital perform a heart ultrasound, but the doctors said there was no cause for concern. The child began to tire quickly. Then the parents turned to a private clinic, where an ultrasound revealed the congenital heart defect.

At the Amosov National Institute of Cardiovascular Surgery the diagnosis was confirmed and they advised that Nastuna should have surgery soon using an intracardiac implant. Since the girl is growing and the defect can also enlarge, it could later lead to heart failure. The surgery is free of charge, but the occluder (implant) needed for Nastuna costs 72 225 UAH. For the Bakun family this is a very large sum; with the help of relatives they have raised 15 000 UAH, but they cannot collect the rest on their own, so they are turning to all caring people for help to heal the heart of their only and beloved daughter!

Letter from a mother:

Good day. My name is Bakun Yuliia Vitaliivna, I am 30 years old, and I live with my family in the urban-type settlement of Ratne, Volyn region. My only daughter Anastasiia (born in 2008) was diagnosed in June 2015 with a congenital heart defect – patent arterial duct at the National Institute of Cardiovascular Surgery named after M. M. Amosov (NAMN of Ukraine), where the diagnosis was confirmed. The doctors told us that this defect needs to be corrected with an occluder. Its cost is unaffordable for our family, as my husband and I receive a modest salary. Recently I underwent two complex surgeries that exhausted all our savings. We live with my retired parents, who help us as much as they can. Our family and parents have collected part of the amount, 15 000 UAH. But we have no other source of funds. We have found ourselves in a situation where we cannot cope with our hardship on our own, so we turn to caring people to save the heart of our beloved daughter!

Nastunya dreams that her little heart will be healthy, so she can live a full life—running with her peers and taking part in sports.

With respect, the Bakun family.

Full name: Bakun Anastasiia Volodymyrivna, 10.03.2008

City: Volyn region

Diagnosis: congenital heart defect – patent arterial duct

All details and documentation are here.