Umer

UMER IS A SMILEY AND OPTIMISTIC ONE-YEAR-OLD BOY FROM JIMMA, ETHIOPIA.

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Umer has two older sisters. Yasmin is 18 years old and Honey is 8 years old. Yasmin and Honey love Umer, their baby brother, very much. His father, Mohamed, works as a driver and his mother, Aisha, is unemployed. 

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Umer does not attend school yet since he is still a baby but his mother tells us she can’t wait to be able to send him off  to school one day when he’s older and healthier.

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When Umer was 7 months old, he started turning blue, didn’t have much energy and would constantly faint.

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Umer was diagnosed with a congenital heart disease called tetralogy of fallot (TOF).

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TOF is caused by a combination of four heart defects present at birth: (1) ventral septal defect (VSD), a hole in the wall (septum) between the lower chambers (ventricles); (2) narrowed passage from the heart to the lungs (pulmonary stenosis); (3) the aorta lies over the VSD (overriding aorta); and (4) thickened right ventricle. This critical congenital heart defect affects the structure of the heart and results in oxygen-poor blood flowing from the heart to the rest of the body. 

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Umer’s older sister, Yasmin, is a past patient of Save a Child’s Heart. She travelled to Israel four years ago and received life-saving treatment. Their mother, Aisha, tells us this was very difficult emotionally and finding out another one of her children has a heart defect was devastating. However, she knew she was in good hands with SACH because Yasmin is now a healthy girl.

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Umer was referred to Save a Child’s Heart by the same doctors who referred Yasmin. The medical staff there  were trained in Israel by the SACH medical staff and are currently the only pediatric cardiac center in Ethiopia.

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ON MARCH 6, 2023, UMER UNDERWENT A LIFE-SAVING CARDIAC SURGERY AT THE INTERNATIONAL PEDIATRIC CARDIAC CENTER FOR SAVE A CHILD’S HEART AT WOLFSON MEDICAL CENTER IN ISRAEL. 

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Umer is a very friendly child. He played nicely with the other kids after his surgery. Umer’s favorite toy at the children’s home were toy cars. His mother, Aisha, says “ I was shocked to find out another kid of mine has a heart disease. I did not want to do it all again. When I found out we will get the opportunity for his treatment, I was so excited. It does not feel real to be here, it is really amazing. I just want to thank SACH for giving my family another life-saving opportunity!”

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The SACH team is happy they were able to mend Umer’s heart and are excited to send him back home to a healthier and brighter future!