Sofia Nepochatova

Parents noticed the problem themselves, by chance. Sonechka, a very active, cheerful girl who does ballroom dancing and has been playing piano since she was five, began to often complain of heart pain. After traveling to Kyiv for an examination at the Scientific and Practical Medical Center of Pediatric Cardiology, Sonechka was diagnosed with a congenital heart defect – a secondary interatrial septal defect. An urgent operation was required, as the child is already seven years old and her condition would only worsen with age.

Parents were, of course, deeply upset when they learned that their beloved and only daughter needed heart surgery and that she might be left with a scar for life. The doctors also told the mother about an alternative operation using an occluder, which would close the defect without a chest incision or trauma for the child. But, unfortunately, it costs a substantial amount of money that the family does not have. The mother earns a minimum wage, and the father is officially unemployed, taking on seasonal side jobs. To raise the required sum, the Nepochatovykh family would need years—time that would not be in Sofiyka’s favor.

The head of the endovascular department advised the mother to seek help from the Future Hearts Charity Foundation. The mother contacted us, and we explained that together with SC Johnson and Watsons we are running a campaign called “Children of Peace.” One hryvnia from each Glade product sold in Watsons stores will go toward purchasing occluders for children who turn to the foundation for assistance. By the end of the campaign we hope we will be able to help them. Since we did not know how much money would be raised or how many occluders SC Johnson could purchase, after the campaign ended the company calculated the funds and announced that they could buy three occluders. Unfortunately, because the dollar exchange rate rose in our country, the price of an occluder also increased, and there was not enough money to purchase an implant for Sofiika Nepochatova. Then SC Johnson decided to allocate the necessary amount for the implant and to support Sofiika Nepochatova. On 14.05.14, at the Scientific‑Practical Medical Center of Pediatric Cardiology in Kyiv, a successful operation to close the congenital heart defect using an occluder was performed on Sofiika Nepochatova.

The Future Hearts Charity Foundation wholeheartedly expresses its gratitude to the companies SC Johnson and Watsons for their assistance in acquiring an intracardiac implant for Sofiika Nepochatova. Thanks to you, Sofiika’s heart will be healthy, and the eight‑year‑old child will no longer complain of chest pain; she will be able to live a full life, keeping pace with her peers. A huge thank you for your priceless contribution to a healthy generation of our country!