“My daughter Fiona was born at Mount Hope Maternity Hospital. Soon after we taking her home with me from the hospital, she started getting sick. She had problems taking her bottle, was vomiting a lot and her breathing became very fast so when she was only one month old, – Fiona Seepersad,

we had to take her to the clinic at Mt. Hope where Fiona had to receive immediate attention because her skin has started turning blue.

“Fiona remained in hospital for about three weeks while tests were done on her. It was only then we learned that our baby had problems with her heart and we were introduced to Caribbean Heart Care (CHCm) team of doctors . The doctors were very nice! We were told about Fiona’s heart problem was very complicated. Half of her heart had not developed; she had three holes in her heart; and there was a problem with her heart valves. Everything was explained to us. We understood that this type of surgery had never before been done in Trinidad; were advised of the risks involved; and knew the chances of her surviving surgery would not be 100 percent.

“Fiona had to have her surgery in three phases. The first, which was done when she was about two months old, was a procedure called ‘PA banding’ that went very well. A year later when Fiona was due for her second surgery, Mount Hope’s consultants told us that we should take her to Jackson Memorial Hospital in the U.S. Since we could not afford this, we approached the Minister of Health, who was able to arrange with Caribbean Heart Care to fly in a team of surgeons to perform Fiona’s next surgery in Trinidad in September 2006. Once again, we were given detailed explanations from CHCm so that we would understand Fiona’s problems, how the surgery would be done, which all helped to reassure us.

“Fiona is now a happy little four-year old who is doing so well, The only problem we are having with her now is that she eats too much. Thanks to CHCm and its competent team, she defied the odds and is now going to school. She is our miracle child.”