"Little" Wu receives lifesaving heart surgery
POSTED: July 26, 2007
By John Patrick
After exhausting their savings to pay for their daughter's heart surgery, the Xie family learned that their son required the same operation.
"The Xie family is today able to come out of the shadow and walk into their future," said Patty Xu, a representative for OBI in China.
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HUBEI PROVINCE, China - From the start, the odds were stacked against a boy named "Little" Wu.
Wu is the youngest member of the Xie family, living in the Hubei Province of central China. Wu's mother has lost sight in her left eye, and his aging father suffers from a chronic illness that hinders his ability to work.
Finances have always been tight for the family. After Wu's older sister was diagnosed with congenital heart disease, relatives worked together to pay for the surgery to save her life.
The operation was a success, but it exhausted the Xie's finances.
Three years later "Little" Wu, just like his older sister, was diagnosed with congenital heart disease.
Deep in debt, and having already asked friends and relatives for help, Wu's parents didn't know where they could turn for support.
"The couple could not help but feel ashamed they were not being good enough parents to adequately provide for their child," said Patty Xu, a representative for Operation Blessing China.
Then the Xies heard about Operation Blessing China's "Save a Life" program. And that's when things started to change for the four-year-old boy.
Thanks to a special partnership between Operation Blessing China and a donor, the program will provide treatment for 10 children with congenital heart disease each year for the next three years.
Wu's parents immediately wrote a letter to Operation Blessing and their son was accepted for treatment.
The surgery, which took place at one of Operation Blessing's partnering hospitals in Hubei Province, was a complete success.
Afterward, "Little" Wu's father hugged his son and smiled.
"Having been provided with Operation Blessing China's support, the Xie family is today able to come out of the shadow and walk into their future," Patty said.
In addition to funding heart surgeries such as Wu's, OBI continues to sponsor cleft lip and palate operations and other specialized surgeries. In July, OBI gave medical checkups to 1,470 villagers in central and western China, and completed five heart surgeries.
Additionally, in the Beijing area, 600 migrant worker's children received free dental check-ups.
How You Can Help
Take part in bringing life-changing surgery to those in need – whether it is helping a boy such as Little Wu with his heart problems or giving others access to much-needed medical care - your financial gift is helping to bring relief to the hurting. |
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