Girl with heart ailment needs surgery

A mother’s heart was broken twice when she discovered that her onlay daughter was born not only with Down Syndrome but with a serious heart ailment as well.

It pains Dinnah Lozada, 39, to know that the life of her year-old daughter Kate will always be on the line unless she goes under the knife to correct her heart disorder.

Shortly after birth, doctors discovered that Kate’s heart had a hole while the ventricles leading to it were not fully developed.

"The doctors recommended that an open heart surgery be performed on Kate but we do not have the money for that. As much as we want her to be operated on, we just can’t afford it," the mother said.

The family can be contacted at their residence in Tugas, Tanjay City, Negros Oriental or at telephone numbers (035)415-5739 or (0917)314-1942 or through The STAR’s Operation Damayan coordinator Melita Dioso at 527-7901 to 10.

Kate is the youngest in a brood of three. Her elder brother Gavriel, 7, was born deaf and mute because their mother contracted German measles while she was pregnant with him.

Initially, Dinnah could not understand the fate that befell her two children. "But eventually, we realized that maybe, God has better plans for them. Acceptance became easier for us."

At present, Dinnah is in a rush to seek help for Kate who needs to undergo surgery at the Perpetual Succour Hospital in Gorordo Ave., Cebu City. The procedure alone requires some P500,000, an amount that is too much for the Lozada family.

"Whatever we do, we can never raise that amount for Kate. We also have to spend for her post-operation care and medication. We appeal to everyone to please help us," she added.

The family spends at least P150 a day for Kate’s vitamins and medication. But often the girl develops illnesses, like upper respiratory tract infection, that require more expenses.

For those who wish to help Kate, donations can be deposited at Metro Bank 110-311059581-7 (V. Locsin branch in Dumaguete City) under account name Dinnah Lozada ITF Kate Lozada.

The family can be contacted at their residence in Tugas, Tanjay City, Negros Oriental or at telephone numbers (035)415-5739 or (0917)314-1942 or through The STAR’s Operation Damayan coordinator Melita Dioso at 527-7901 to 10.