Jacelyne: no more heart clinic

Jacelyne was born with a heart defect. Her mother remembers a long period of unexplained illness and chest pain. Doctors treated it as pneumonia before anyone looked at her heart.

In October 2020 a paediatrician in Dar es Salaam found the heart defect and referred Jacelyne to the Jakaya Kikwete Cardiac Institute, where she was started on medication.

Jacelyne's mother told us she had never heard of congenital heart disease before. She believes that is part of why it took so long for her daughter to get the right care.

While Jacelyne was on medication, her mother heard about The One New Heart Tanzania surgical camp at Benjamin Mkapa Hospital in Dodoma, held from 12 to 16 July 2021. She brought Jacelyne to the camp without knowing whether her daughter would be treated.

Our team received the family and completed the assessment. Jacelyne had a patent ductus arteriosus, known as PDA, a blood vessel near the heart that should close after birth. Our team closed it successfully.

Since the procedure Jacelyne had been attending a heart clinic for follow-up. On 22 August 2023 her mother, Mama Jacelyne Chiganga, sent us the news that her daughter no longer needs to attend.

Jacelyne's mother had never heard of congenital heart disease. Raising awareness so that families recognise the signs, and can get to follow-up care afterwards, is part of every mission we run.