Farhan Ahmed: A 2-Year-Old CHD Warrior
‘History will judge us by the difference we make in the everyday lives of children.’ Nelson Mandela
Since our inception in 2012, we at Pakistan Children’s Heart Foundation (PCHF), have helped 2414 children get heart surgery. This is the remarkable success story of a young and brave little 2-year-old Congenital Heart Disease (CHD) survivor, Farhan Ahmed. At such a tender age, Farhan was diagnosed with a CHD known as Tetralogy Of Fallot (TOF). His parents were absolutely devastated and couldn’t imagine a life without him. They were desperate to save the precious life of their child.
In TOF, four related heart defects change the way blood flows to the lungs and through the heart. It is repaired through open-heart surgery soon after birth or later in infancy. In most cases of TOF, too little blood goes to the lungs. This low-oxygen blood then circulates to the rest of the body, and too little oxygen reaches the body tissues. Babies with TOF often have cyanosis, a blue or purple tint to the baby’s skin, lips and fingernails.
We provide the highest quality of care for children with heart disease, irrespective of their financial means. Each year around 60,000 children are born with CHD in Pakistan, and a large majority of these children are unable to get the treatment required, due to lack of facilities, personnel and the high costs involved. That is where we step in.
Farhan Ahmed’s family brought him to us all the way from the Karak District in KPK, with tremendously high hopes, looking to end their enormous plight. Farhan’s father, Muhammad Yaseen, works as a security guard, and his wife, Shahnaz Bibi, is a housewife. Thankfully, their prayers were answered as the planned procedure, a total correction, was scheduled through a swift, smooth and extremely efficient process. Blessedly, the surgery was a huge success, and after a few days in the hospital under the special care of our brilliant team of healthcare professionals, Farhan was discharged. Yaseen and Shahnaz are now proud parents of a CHD warrior.
We made a real difference in the lives of Farhan Ahmed and his family. Together, they can now live the life of their dreams. We, and more importantly, the children born with CHD, vitally require your support. Legendary Pakistani cricketer, Misbah Ul Haq, has also joined us on the journey to conquering CHD in Pakistan, by helping build Pakistan’s first dedicated, state-of-the-art Children’s Heart Hospital and Research Institute (CHHRI).
You can donate towards children’s heart surgeries or hospital construction at:
#MySecondInnings #Donate #Charity #PCHF #CHHRI #CHD #Zakat #Hajj
