In 2017, a team that went to vaccinate children in her school noticed that she needed to be seen by a doctor before she could get the vaccine. It is then that she was diagnosed with Tetralogy of Fallot (TOF)- a combination of heart defects- and needed surgical intervention.

13- years lady Irene Frederick is the firstborn of three siblings from the Mwanza Region, Tanzania. While in school, her teachers noticed that she was always quiet and never participated in any physical exercises as she was easily fatigued. She was always sickly and this made her father reject her.

In 2017, a team that went to vaccinate children in her school noticed that she needed to be seen by a doctor before she could get the vaccine. It is then that she was diagnosed with Tetralogy of Fallot (TOF)- a combination of heart defects-  and needed surgical intervention.

Due to the fact that the family was not able to afford the treatment costs, her mother decided to find help from Dr. Glory, A pediatric cardiologist from Bugando Medical Centre who linked her with The One New Heart Tanzania volunteers.

The One New Heart Tanzania introduced Irene’s mother to the Heart Gift who took up Irene’s case and collaboratively sponsored his life-saving surgery at the Jakaya Kikwete Heart Institute (JKCI) Dar es Salaam, Tanzania on 14^th December 2020.