Thursday was the first of two days that previous years’ patients returned to the Uganda Heart Institute for follow-up visits. This was the WCI team’s first opportunity on this trip to see with our own eyes children playing harder and living longer after their treatment.

Christianna waiting for her follow-up cardiology visit.

The first follow-up patient to be seen was Christianna. She had a diagnostic catheterization procedure in 2013 to evaluate several cardiac defects. Rather than receiving an intervention, Christianna’s heart issues are being evaluated on a regular interval. Members of the WCI team who were returning from previous visits remarked at how well she looked. Her father notes that she is growing and gaining weight which can be an issue with some of the children born with heart defects.

John Baptist and his family

John Baptist is the first patient to get a cardiac catheterization with WCI in 2012. He also happens to be the first child ever to get a cath in Uganda. The severe narrowing of the valve separating the right side of his heart from the large vessel carrying blood to the lungs was treated with a catheterization procedure. He has been healthy and happy ever since. His mother is proud of how well he is doing in school and says he enjoy playing football (that’s soccer to us Americans). His older sister is happy to have a partner in the rough and tumble world of childhood play.

Gad, his dad, & 2 empty soda bottles.

Our last follow-up patient of the day Gad was a bundle of activity. He was running up and down the halls of the waiting area. His father literally had to hold him in one place to get him to pose for a photo. I tend to think his pulmonary valve procedure and his back-to-back bottles of Coke and Mountain Dew combined to give him the energy to keep going. His father is very grateful for the opportunity to be healthy and playful given to Gad by the World Children’s Initiative’s work with the Uganda Heart Institute.