Our daughter Maëlle was born with aortic stenosis, which led to coarctation of the aorta in 2020. She was hospitalized for five weeks at birth. In the fall of 2023, she underwent her first operation to repair her aortic valve. Unfortunately, after a few days, some of the sutures failed to hold and she had to undergo a second open-heart operation within two weeks, which went well. Last December, Maëlle was rushed to hospital with a serious infection in her valve, creating endocarditis. She had to undergo open-heart surgery for the third time in three months, and the surgeon had no choice but to perform the Ross procedure in addition to administering antibiotics. In fact, she had an allergic reaction to the antibiotics, known as DRESS syndrome, which is extremely rare in children and required the help of several specialists. Maëlle stayed a total of 44 days at the CHUL during this third hospitalization and was finally discharged on January 31st. Of course, we must travel to Quebec City for follow-ups, as we live more than three hours away.
The En Cœur Foundation has supported us since the birth of our daughter, with meal vouchers, help with accommodations and the support of volunteers who never hesitate to come and give us moral support. We will always be grateful for everything the Foundation has done for us.
For parents whose children are born with heart disease, we can only say that your children are so combative and stronger than you think. Our daughter survived three open-heart surgeries in three months, fought off a serious infection and today is in great shape. Trust science!