Save Burmese Refugee Children with Heart Disease.

Six impoverished kids with heart disease will have their heart surgeries thanks to the generosity of China Cal's donors. We describe the life stories of one of these kids here. (We change names and do not display photos due to potential danger to recipients' families in Myanmar.)

Khaing is a 16 year old girl with tetrology of Fallot.  She is a student at a migrant learning centre in grade seven. Khaing’s father and brother-in-law work as construction workers and earn 8,500 baht (approx. 283 USD) together. Her sister works as a nanny and earns 3,000 baht (approx. 100 USD) per month. They shared their income and every month they send 4,000 baht (approx. 133 USD) to her sister’s mother-in-law in Burma. Their combined monthly income is enough to cover their household expenses, but they are unable to save any money. If someone falls ill, they receive treatment at Mae Tao Clinic (MTC) which is affordable. 

Khaing was born at MTC through a normal delivery. A month after she was born, her mother moved to Bangkok and never contacted them again. After her mother left them, her father became an alcoholic and could not take care of Khaing and her sister fully. If Khaing and her sister became sick, he would just by them medication at a pharmacy. When Khaing turned two months old, she had a fever and a cough. When she did not get better quickly like before, her father took her to MTC. At the clinic, the doctor listened to her heart with a stethoscope and told him that she has a heart problem that requires surgery. However, her father refused treatment, telling the doctor that he could not afford to pay for it, having to look after his other daughter as well. The doctor then gave Khaing one month’s worth of medication and asked him to bring Khaing back for more medication next month. Yet her father did not bring her back because he had to work. 

On the 29 of August 2019, a cardiac screening team lead by Doctor Robert Detrano, came to Ayeyarwady Migrant Learning Centre where Khaing goes to school. They were screening the students for heart conditions. After Khaing was screened, the cardiac screening team identified that Khaing has a congenital heart problem called Tetralogy of Fallot (TOF) with Ventricular Septal Defect (VDS), also known as a hole in the heart. Her teacher then told Khaing about what the cardiac screening team had found, explaining to her that she has a heart disease since she was born and that she would need to receive surgery. Later, her teacher went to Khaing’s home and talked to Khaing’s father about her need for surgery. However, her father refused and told the teacher nobody could accompany her. For the next month, Khaing’s teacher and sister tried to convince Khaing’s father to let her go for treatment. A month later, Khaing’s father agreed that she can go for treatment, only if someone is supporting her. Once he gave his consent for her to receive surgery, they tied to save their money for the next two months to pay for their transportation to access treatment, thinking that Khaing would receive treatment right away. Finally, Khaing, her teacher, father and sister went to MTC on the 10th of December 2019. After they spoke to a medic about Khaing’s diagnosis, the MTC medic asked them to come back at the end of January 2020 without telling them why. When they returned in January, the teacher told the medic that Khaing’s father would only let her go for treatment if she has a donor. The medic reassured them by telling them about Burma Children Medical Fund (BCMF), an organisation that could support her treatment. The medic then referred her to Burma Children Medical Fund (BCMF) for assistance in accessing further treatment. 

Currently, Khaing coughs and looks tired. She tires easily if she walks for more than five minutes. She is unable to sleep, and she experiences heart palpitations. If she hears a loud noise, she has shortness of breath. Sometimes, she also feels dizzy. Khaing’s sister said, “We worry about Khaing, but we cannot afford to treat her. When her teacher came to meet us [after the screening at her school], at first, my father did not allow my sister to receive treatment. I talked [to our father] and asked him to let her receive treatment for her heart condition several times. My father has agreed to put some money aside for her trips [to access treatment]. We are happy and we would like to thank you so much BCMF.” 

In her free time, Khaing likes to read books and wants to become a schoolteacher in the future. She said, “I used to feel dizzy frequently at school and I felt sad, but I didn’t know that I have problem with my heart. When the cardiac screening team told me through my teacher that I need to have surgery, I become sad because I know my father does not have enough money [to pay for it]. I want to be free from this condition.”