– flown to U.S. medical facility for treatment

SUFFERING from a cyanotic congenital heart defect, little Rodas Lakhan was in a battle against time which ended recently with him receiving much-needed support from the Saving Hands Emergency Aid (SHEA) foundation through its donors, to travel to the U.S. for life-saving treatment.

According to the foundation in a post on its Facebook page, the baby arrived safely at a medical facility and has started the necessary treatment evaluation.
“His initial review had shown all positive signs and his doctors will continue to monitor him into early next week, which is when they plan to operate once it is safe to do so,” the foundation said.

According to the University of Michigan, cyanotic heart defects are defects that allow oxygen-rich blood and oxygen-poor blood to mix. In cyanotic heart defects, less oxygen-rich blood reaches the tissues of the body. This results in the development of a bluish tint (cyanosis) to the skin, lips, and nail beds.

Most importantly, without proper treatment and care, critical cyanotic congenital heart disease could be deadly. In baby Lakhan’s case, he is suffering from Tetralogy of Fallot (ToF) with pulmonary atresia. This, according to the Boston’s Children Hospital, is a more severe form of ToF. It is a congenital condition, which means it is something with which one is born.
Before being transported to the U.S., Lakhan was a patient at the Georgetown Public Hospital (GPHC), where the necessary treatment was not available.