RHD Surgery After 15 Years for Naivalu

Maria Sauvou is forever grateful to the Sai Prema Foundation hospital for without it her daughter would be still suffering from Rheumatic Heart Disease.

Her daughter 16-year-old Ulamila Naivalu was diagnosed with RHD when she was one-year-old.

“It has been 15 long and difficult years for us. I am so grateful that on Thursday she (Ulamila) had a successful operation,” Ms Sauvou said.

“It was like a heavy burden was off-loaded from my back. My daughter can live freely now,” she said.

“No more worries, no more sleepless nights, no more pain, no more injections.”

Ms Sauvou despite the odds said she made sure she maintained a good environment for her daughter, spoke positive words to her to encourage her to pull through difficult times.

“At times Ulamila would show signs her heart was growing weak, I would rush her to the hospital to get her injection. It was really a hard time for us, especially for her.

“But with the support of our family and never ending prayers, Ulamila continued to hang on despite the hard yards.”

Ms Sauvou, for many years, had to look for options and a surgery was the only hope.

Her daughter settled at the Sai Prema Children Hospital .

“When I first learned that she had RHD, I thought the world had failed me.

“I was heavy hearted, emotional knowing that she (Ulamila) was still young. I lost all hope but then Sai Prema Children Hospital came into the picture,” she said.

“I’m humbly grateful that there are places like this, one that specifically looks after cases of children with this disease.

“Like many parents, we are blessed by this foundation, a miracle is what it is.”

Ms Sauvou is encouraging parents not to be hesitant when it comes to taking their children for check-up.

“We are not well off. God answers prayers. He directed us to the Sai Prema Foundation hospital.

“The staff and medical team are so helpful, they made Ulamila feel at home.

“It is definitely a comforting setting.”

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