Heart Surgery for Penina

Penina came to Kisoro District Hospital (KDH), the only public hospital in Southwestern Uganda, after one year of struggling with heart issues from rheumatic heart disease. She is 38 years old, living in the village of Kanaba, and is a mother of nine young children.  She farms in order to feed her children, but has been unable to do so because of her heart condition. Just walking makes her short of breath.

Rheumatic fever has caused severe and permanent damage to three out of the four valves in her heart. Although we can stabilize her now with medications, there is no cure without surgery.  Without replacing these valves, her heart will quickly deteriorate, and she will die.  In the United States, a person in Penina's condition would receive surgery immediately.  In Uganda, resources are scarce, and for a family making less than six dollars a day, the surgery is unaffordable.

KDH is located in rural Uganda where access to good medical care is limited.  Patients come from all over Uganda, Rwanda, and Congo for needed medical treatment.  Doctors for Global Health (DGH), a not-for-profit organization, works with KDH through providing medical expertise and funding and helps care for these individuals with extremely limited access to healthcare.  When needed, with the help of donors like yourself, DGH sponsors valve replacement surgeries for those who can no longer be managed with just medicines.  Please consider any donation to DGH in order to help fund Penina’s valve replacement surgery.

Penina, and the children who depend on her, are relying on our support. Any contribution to ensure Penina is able to receive this essential surgery is much appreciated.