“40,000 infants in Pakistan are diagnosed with congenital heart disease every year”

–Dawn News

17.1 Million Deaths per year are due to the Congenital Heart Diseases while an average of 16 women per minute die of Cardiovascular Disease.  – The Nation

Heart is an important muscular organ which supplies blood and nutrients through its circulatory system to all parts of the body. Any damage or disturbance in its working can lead to many life threatening diseases.

Mitral & Aortic Valve collapse is one of a life threatening diseases. It is a condition in which the chambers of the heart fail to pump properly/effectively. Mitral valve facilitates the blood to flow between the left atrium and left ventricle while the Aortic valve facilitates outflow of blood from left ventricle towards the aorta.

In Mitral Valve prolapse the flap cusps fail to close resulting in back flow towards left atrium whereas in Aortic valve prolapse pressure builds towards left ventricle. This increases the pressure on the heart generating high residual volume. Therefore the heart works more forcefully to fulfill our body’s requirement. The symptoms of the disease include dyspnea, fatigue, Palpitations swollen ankles and feet.

“Over one third of all deaths in Pakistan are due to Cardiovascular Disease – (Agha Khan University, September, 2010).”

The prevalence of congenital heart diseases are low in the western countries as compared to Pakistan as they are incorporating new technologies with the diagnostic tools, making an easy approach to check the fetus in the womb before birth. Early detection is very useful in order to cater to this chronic disease.

We’d like to share a heart wrenching story of a 9^th grader, Esha Walayat, who struggles with Mitral & Aortic Valve collapse. It occurred as congenital disease, followed by a feeling of lethargy, heaviness and fatigue. She was unable to run or play like normal children due to which she had to give up her schooling.

Her mother was fighting a deadly cancer and the news of her daughter was no less than a shock for her, realizing that there is not a single penny left from the chemotherapy sessions she was receiving in order to get rid of her cancer. Unfortunately, she couldn’t survive but she wanted to see her daughter happy and healthy.

Esha is just one of those thousands of kids of the country who are struggling with this disease and Transparent Hands (An Online Global Crowd Funding Platform) took this initiative to help Esha and the other children to help save the future of this country. With the immense support of donors and Transparent Hands, Esha underwent two major cardiac surgeries and went back to her home in excellent condition.

She has now recovered completely and has continued her studies. Esha’s wish is to become a doctor. She wants to help many other kids like her who have no means of getting treatment.

How many beautiful lives can be saved if we are determined to help other patients like Esha? Donate online to Transparent Hands and save hundreds of precious lives with us!