By Derek Schlennstedt
Ten-month old Fidelcia, from East Timor, was given another chance at life thanks to a program organised by Rotary that saw her flown into the country to receive vital surgery.
The program, run by the Rotary Club of Healesville, focuses on providing medical treatment for children from developing countries, where surgery and treatment is not accessible.
Fidelcia underwent surgery to close a blood vessel in the heart that under normal circumstances would close after birth.
Left untreated, the unclosed blood vessel produces an irregular transmission of blood between the aorta and pulmonary artery that can result in heart failure.
Fidelcia and mother Hernania arrived from Timor Leste on 15 February, with Fidelcia receiving heart surgery at the Royal Children’s Hospital on 14 March.
Rotary Club of Healesville member Graeme Chester organised the flight and surgery through the Rotary Oceania Medical Aid for Children (ROMAC), and said that without surgery there was the possibility of death.
“When babies are born, the patent ductus arteriosus closes, in some babies that little duct doesn’t close which results in blood being misdirected causing the heart to have to work harder, which, left untreated can eventually lead to death,” Mr Chester said.
The pair, along with Mr Chester and Rotarian Liz Olie, visited Healesville Sanctuary on Wednesday 28 March, so Fidelcia could meet Australian animals during her trip.
The group organised a ‘Wild Encounter’ at the sanctuary where they got to pat and feed Kangaroo Island kangaroos.
Mr Chester said that since having surgery Fidelcia has been on the mend putting on weight and has become more active.
“Beforehand she was very limp and could only barely sit up, it was clear that she wasn’t getting enough blood around her body.”
Now she’s gaining weight, she a lot more active and is crawling and standing up … she’s got all this energy now,” Mr Chester said.
Fidelcia and Hernania are staying with Rotarian Liz Olie in the Rotary district of Doncaster.
