Please Help One Year Old Slava. He has a complex heart defect called Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome. He needs open-heart surgery.
Slava Zharkov, one year old, suffers from a complex heart defect called hypoplastic left heart syndrome. He needs a Fontan surgical procedure at The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, USA.
Thanks to the support of donors, Slava had open-heart surgery in Berlin last year. However, the defect he has requires three stages of surgical treatment. German specialists confirmed their ability to do the third and final surgery, but only when our son’s weight is 12-14 kg. But our little Slava doesn't eat well. His weight is just 10 kg and he has only managed to gain 1 kg over the past year. He is often short of breath, has coughing fits, and gets tired quickly. It breaks my heart to see that he is getting worse and worse. We found out about a hospital in the United States, The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, where this heart defect can be treated successfully. We sent Slava's records to the hospital. They are ready to accept us there. However, the cost is enormous. My husband's income and Slava's disability are barely enough to make ends meet as it is. Our eldest son is three years old and goes to kindergarten. I stay home with Slava all the time and can’t work. Please don’t give up on us, please help!
Veronika Zharkova,
Voronezh Region.
Professor Jonathan J. Rome, M.D., a leading cardiologist at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, says: "Sviatoslav Zharkov has a complex congenital heart defect and has undergone two operations to palliate his condition. To further improve his cardiac function and oxygenation, he will need to undergo the Fontan surgical procedure. Our hospital has a great deal of experience in performing these operations and we are happy to accept the boy at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia in the spring of 2013 for this procedure."
The cost of Slava surgery is $220,725. We are happy to report that the Rusfond children's charity in Moscow has raised the entire amount needed. Slava is expected at the hospital on July 13, 2013. However, an additional $6,570 is required for his and his mother’s accommodations, food, local transportation, and other associated expenses for the duration of their stay in the USA.
If you want to help Slava please don't let the cost stop you. You can contribute to Russian American Children's Foundation using a Credit Card, PayPal, or by sending a check made payable to:
Russian American Children's Foundation
420 Lexington Avenue, Suite 300
New York, NY 10170
Thank you! All donations in excess of what is needed for Slava will help other children in need of open-heart surgery.