Maaz’s Success Story
Since inception in 2012, we at Pakistan Children’s Heart Foundation (PCHF) have helped fund 3605 life-saving heart surgeries/interventions. This is the success story of 9-year-old Maaz, who was diagnosed with a Congenital Heart Disease (CHD) called Aortic Stenosis (AS).
This CHD refers to the narrowing of the aortic valve opening and is sometimes mentioned as a failing heart valve. This condition restricts blood flow from the left ventricle to the aorta and can also adversely affect the pressure in the left atrium (chamber) of the heart. Symptoms include chest pain, rapid heartbeat, shortness of breath etc.
When Maaz started to experience irregular heartbeats, his parents immediately took him for a medical check-up. They hoped and prayed that it would be nothing serious, and that they would quickly go back to their normal lives.
Unfortunately for them, this was not the case and their worst fears were realized. Maaz had a potentially life-threatening CHD that required immediate attention. This news completely shattered the lives of his parents who were then frantically searching for treatment options.
Their journey began in Gujranwala, where the family resides, and after facing various challenges they made their way to Lahore. There they met Dr. Salman A. Shah, a renowned Pediatric Cardiac Surgeon who also happens to be a PCHF Medical Advisory Board Member.
The deserving family informed Dr. Shah that they would need financial support for the procedure needed to save his life. Maaz’s father, who works as a labourer in Dubai, solely supports the whole family which includes his wife and 4 children. Luckily for them, they were referred to us.
We provide the highest quality of care for children who are suffering from CHD. Every year, around 60,000 children are born with this potentially life-threatening disease in Pakistan, and a large number of them are from deserving families who are unable to afford the required treatment.
When it comes to the required funds, we have an incredible donor base to call upon. These are exceptional individuals and organizations supporting our cause. In Maaz’s case, over half of the funds were arranged by his father. Not only was this commendable, but also an act that is inspirational.
After the completion of all hospital and accommodation related formalities, along with a swift patient registration process, Maaz’s heart surgery was scheduled at our very own Cardiac Care Center at the University of Lahore Teaching Hospital (ULTH). This is a world-class facility for treating children born with CHD.
Dr. Salman A. Shah was to perform the surgery himself with a brilliant team of healthcare professionals alongside him. With all preparations complete, the time that is the most critical for not only the patient, but parents as well, had arrived. Maaz was about to undergo a procedure that could save his life.
Once the surgery was underway, Maaz’s true fighting spirit came to the fore. He was not alone though. His loved ones were continuously praying for him and our medical team was working as hard as ever. A few testing hours later though, it was a truly special moment when everyone was told that the surgery was a resounding success!
Maaz is now a ‘CHD Warrior’ who has the opportunity to build a better future, not just for himself, but his family as well. At the time of discharge, they all wished us the very best in our projects and said that they would pray for our vision to come to fruition.
For CHD affected families, no matter how hard things get, no matter how impossible things may seem, we are here for you. Our goal is to ensure that not a single child born with CHD in Pakistan remains untreated.
Legendary Pakistani cricketer, Misbah Ul Haq, is also alongside us on our journey to conquering CHD, by helping build the nation’s first dedicated Children’s Heart Hospital & Research Institute (CHHRI), as a PCHF Board Member.
You can join us as well and donate towards child heart treatment or hospital construction. Together, let’s do our utmost to save young lives and help shape a brighter future. Play your part, save little hearts: https://pchf.org.pk/donate/
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