By Robert Catherman | President
The Executive Director of MEDRIX is in Vietnam during the week of March 21. She interviewed four families who have children who need corrective heart surgery but are not able to afford the cost of the surgery. MEDRIX is providing the necessary funds so the surgeries can go ahead.
Attached are photos of some of the families and their child. Each family has a story -- here are a few of the stories:
#1 - 4 months old - lives a few miles from hospital - needs a simple corrective surgery
#2 - lives far from hospital - a 12-hour bus ride. MEDRIX provided a stipend to the family for food and travel back to her village when the daughter is able to travel after surgery. Her home is so far that no bus or train goes there. So MEDRIX hired a car to take her home after her surgery because we do not think she can be strong enough for a few months to endure to 45-mile ride on a motorcycle after they get off the bus at ‘the last stop’.
#3 - is 6 and in preschool. They came about 100 miles by train - she liked the train. She asked why a foreigner would be a medical worker in Vietnam. She was very fun. Insurance may pay some of the total bill of $1136 USD - MEDRIX will cover any remainder. Family is supporting food and transportation.
#4 - is 3 and very sweet. Has a very very serious heart defect. Has already had 1 surgery. Now need diagnostic evaluation after his past surgery - but there is no insurance. MEDRIX will pay the $455 for the cardio gram - right coronary artery assessment. When he has surgery #2 MEDRIX will pay whatever is not covered by insurance, family or other donors.
Imagine that you are MEDRIX’s staff member meeting these families, listening to their child's heart anomaly by stethoscope, hearing their story, laughing a little and crying a lot -- and promising hope to the family -- hope that their child will grow to adulthood, get an education and lead a normal life. If you understand that "hope", you can understand MEDRIX’s "call" to work in Vietnam.
Thank you to all who have donated to MEDRIX to “keep hope alive” for some of those in need in Vietnam. Your donations make a HUGE difference in the lives of these children, their families and their communities.
By Robert Catherman | President, MEDRIX
By Alicia Moore | Project Leader
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