Stefanishyn Vika

Viktoriia from Lviv was born on September 20, 2006, a healthy baby. But at two years old—on her birthday—her mother noticed that Viktoriia’s lips and the skin around them were turning blue. Her mother took her to a cardiac surgeon for an examination, where an ultrasound revealed that the child has a congenital heart defect—a secundum atrial septal defect.

They also turned to specialists at the Lviv “OHMATDIT”, but unfortunately the diagnosis was confirmed. This news was like a thunderclap in a clear sky for the Stefanishyn family. At that time the doctors recommended observation and not rushing into surgery, because the child was still very small and there are cases where the defect closes on its own. Every six months Vika was examined by Professor Yu. A. Ivanov, but at the latest examination he recommended additional and more precise testing at the Amosov National Institute of Cardiovascular Surgery, and also urgent surgery, because the girl is growing and the defect is only getting larger, which increases the load on the heart and could be detrimental to Vika’s health. After sending their images to the Amosov Institute, the cardiac surgeons advised the parents a less traumatic operation for the child – to close the defect using an intracardiac implant (occluder). No chest incision would be needed, and they also said the family urgently needs to come to Kyiv for further examination, where they will definitively determine whether the defect can be closed with an occluder, as several defects were found in the child's heart.

After arriving in Kyiv for an examination, the endovascular cardiac surgeons at the Amosov National Institute of Cardiovascular Surgery said they would try to close the defect using an intracardiac implant, but it needed to be done urgently because the defects were growing. The family was told that the operation would be performed free of charge, and the occluder at that time cost 63 491 UAH. Unfortunately, Vika’s parents did not have that amount of money, and they could not quickly raise the necessary sum. Vika’s mother had lost her job and was now on the employment exchange, while her father was a private entrepreneur with minimal income. The staff at the Amosov National Institute of Cardiovascular Surgery advised Vika’s mother to seek help from our foundation, which supports children with congenital heart defects. Since Vika’s mother had no one else to turn to for assistance and the child urgently needed the operation, she reached out to us, and we promised to help the six‑year‑old girl Vika.

Thanks to Danone in Ukraine and partner companies that, together with the Open Hearts of Ukraine Charity Foundation and the Ukrainian Charity Exchange, organized the charitable “Run with Faith in the Heart 2014” across Ukrainian cities, the necessary amount for Vika to purchase an intracardiac implant (occluder) was raised. On 27.11.14, at the Amosov National Institute of Cardiovascular Surgery, the operation was successfully performed, and the girl’s heart defects were closed using an occluder.

29.11.1 r. Vika was discharged from the clinic with a healthy heart; now the six‑year‑old girl's dream of dancing is entirely realistic

From the bottom of our hearts we thank the company “Danone” in Ukraine, the Open Hearts of Ukraine Charity Foundation, and the Ukrainian Charity Exchange for their help in raising funds for six‑year‑old girl from Lviv, Viktoria Stefanyshyn. Thank you for your diligent work and professionalism, for your humanity and compassion, and for your readiness to extend a helping hand!