20 Years of Hope: Raven

Little Raven was born in India in April 2020. Her parents were thrilled at the birth of their first child, but their excitement quickly turned to panic when they took her to her first check-up at 15 days old. Doctors discovered a hole (a ventricular septal defect, or VSD) in Raven’s heart but reassured the family that this kind of defect sometimes closes on its own by the age of two years.

Raven was able to return home with her mother and grandmother, while her father returned to work away from their home. Worries eased, and the little family returned to life as normal.

For the first eight months of her life, Raven remained healthy, but then she became very ill with frequent fevers and difficulty breathing. Because of this, doctors decided that they should move forward with surgery to repair Raven’s heart.

Raven’s family lived in a small, rented home, with Raven’s father as the only source of income. Although his work kept him away from home most of the time, he was able to visit every two weeks or so to spend time with his family. Understandably, Raven’s parents were very worried for her and did not know how they would be able to afford the necessary surgery.

Thankfully, Amrita Hospital, the institution that we partner with for cardiac care in India, referred little Raven to Love Without Boundaries, and we were honored to be able to help through our India Medical Care program. Raven, her mother, and her grandmother all had to test negative for COVID before moving to the hospital for surgery. While this delayed the operation a little bit, it turned out to be a glorious success! Raven was off the ventilator in two days and was able to be discharged just one week later.

Raven’s follow-up exams showed that she had healed very nicely. Just a few months after her first birthday, she was eating well and gaining weight and strength. She showed off a bit, charming her family with newfound walking and even RUNNING skills!

It was such a relief that there were no complications, and darling Raven was now breathing easily. Raven’s mother told us that they are all so happy now to know that Raven is healed and that a whole group of people from around the world loved their child enough to help her get the care she needed.

We were delighted to receive some new photos of Raven showcasing her confidence and love of dressing up and dancing! What a lovely and healthy three-year-old she is.

We are grateful to all the kind and generous donors who bring HOPE to children like Raven and their families. You are bringing the gift of good health, plus the easing of anxious hearts to so many deserving people!

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