We’re really excited to share some beautiful news. After many years of planning and waiting, Dr. Aso and his team have launched a catheterization mission right here in Erbil (The city where Love Them All is based) to perform life-saving procedures.
Over the last few months, Dr. Aso has traveled regularly from his home in Sulaymaniyah (a few hours away) to conduct echocardiograms and consultations. This dedicated back-and-forth has prepared his team for their first full mission in Erbil, in partnership with a local hospital their.
We’re thrilled to support this effort, which we hope marks the start of many more. Already, it has identified over 30 children and added them to the list for urgent interventions. What makes it even more special? Many of these kids are ones we’ve personally walked alongside for years.
For so long, families had no choice but to drive long distances by ambulance to Sulaymaniyah. We would send entire busloads of children all the way there just to reach Dr. Aso. Now, these children can get life-saving care and follow-up closer to home, and we could not be happier.
Many of these kids have a simple but dangerous VSD, which is a small hole in the heart. If it isn’t closed in time, it can lead to high pressures in the lungs, heart failure, and tragically the loss of their life.
These new missions will have a huge impact for so many, and are directed at families who simply cannot afford the hospital fees or the device costs needed for the procedures. Dr. Aso never charges families who can’t pay, but the hospitals still require the fees to be covered, and that’s where we step in.
We invite you to share this with your friends and community. Together, we can support this life-saving mission in a big way. The estimated cost to provide each procedure is $3,000 USD. This includes the cost of in-hospital pre-cath care, post-cath care, and supplies. Our initial goal is to raise $7,500 to support at least 5 children by contributing $1,500 for each child with donors covering $1,500 each toward the full $3,000. We will be connecting with each family to share their stories with you as we are able. We want to make you a part of their journey. Updates to follow.