Healed Hearts

It's a miracle, were the simple yet profoundly emotional words by Shazia Naza after her daughter's lifesaving heart surgery was successfully completed at the Sai Prema Children's Hospital in Nasese, Suva.

Yesterday, as part of the Gift of Life ceremony, Ms Naza stood alongside two other mothers, all united by a fierce, unrelenting battle to heal their children's hearts. For Ms Naza, this journey was not one she ever expected to embark on.

Her seven-month-old daughter, Aleena Bi, had been diagnosed with congenital heart disease, a condition that had slowly and silently drained the life out of her baby, leaving her frail and weak since birth.

“As a mother, I couldn’t help but feel the weight of worry grow heavier with each passing day. I searched every hospital, hoping for a glimmer of hope, but there was nothing,” Ms Naza shared, her voice trembling with the memories of those helpless days.

It was not until doctors in Labasa suggested that there was a hospital offering free heart surgery in Suva—the Sai Prema Foundation—that the first flicker of hope appeared.

“When they told me something was wrong with her heart, I just couldn’t believe it,” she said, still shaken by the shock of the news.

Arriving in Suva last week, Ms Naza held onto her faith and family’s prayers, knowing that this would not be an easy road.

She had left behind the comfort of her home, venturing into the unknown with only hope as her guide.

As she stepped into Sai Prema Hospital, overwhelmed with emotion, she found herself on her knees, silently pleading for a miracle.

For Ms Naza, travelling such a long distance was about more than just seeking treatment—it was about saving her daughter’s life. Every moment of the journey weighed heavily on her heart, yet she pressed on, driven by the love for her child and the desire for something better.

The hours leading up to Aleena’s surgery were excruciating. The uncertainty, the helplessness, the fear—it all surged within Ms Naza.

“I was filled with so many questions. What if something went wrong? What if I lost her?” she recalled, her voice breaking at the thought.

But through it all, she found solace in her faith.

“While Aleena was in surgery, I prayed endlessly, asking for strength. I held on to the belief that no matter what, I had to trust the process.”

As she waited in the hospital lounge, the minutes felt like hours. The tension in the air was unbearable, but it was in that silence that a deep, unwavering faith began to rise within her.

When the doctor finally called her, the words she had been waiting for came:

“The surgery was successful.”

That moment—the culmination of endless prayers, sleepless nights, and unspoken fears—was when Ms Naza knew her daughter had been given a chance at life.

She expressed her gratitude for the Sai Prema Hospital’s staff and surgeons, whose compassion and dedication had not only healed her daughter’s heart but also given her the strength to endure.

“I’ll never forget the long, dark days of waiting, the sleepless nights, the constant worry. But in the end, it was all worth it,” Ms Naza said, her eyes glistening with tears of relief.

In a world where miracles often feel far away, Ms Naza’s story is a testament to the power of hope, faith, and the unwavering love of a mother willing to do anything for her child.

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