Help Baby Zainab Get Life-Saving Surgery

Dear Colleagues,

I am writing to request your attention and support for my 6-month-old niece, born on January 1, 2025, in Karachi, Pakistan. She has been diagnosed with Congenitally Corrected Transposition of the Great Arteries (CCTGA), along with a ventricular septal defect (VSD), hypoplastic right ventricle, and tortuous great vessels—a constellation of findings that make her condition surgically complex and high-risk.

Due to the limitations of pediatric cardiothoracic surgical expertise and resources in Pakistan, local physicians advised against operative management and recommended seeking care abroad. After consulting several international centers, we were fortunate to connect with Dr. Luca Vricella at Advocate Children’s Hospital (Illinois, USA), who reviewed her case and offered a staged surgical plan.

The proposed management includes:

Bidirectional Glenn Procedure before 9 months of age

Hemi-Mustard + further repair at age 4–5 years

This two-stage approach is intended to physiologically replicate a double switch procedure and optimize long-term cardiac function and quality of life.

In contrast to the estimated <10% surgical success rate in Pakistan for such complex congenital cases, U.S. centers report >90% success, given the availability of advanced imaging, surgical technique, and post-op care.

We have attached her medical records, imaging findings, and the cost estimate provided by Advocate Children’s Hospital. Our family is now focused on securing the funding necessary to proceed with care, and we are reaching out to the broader medical community for assistance.

Your support—whether through financial contribution or by sharing this case within your networks—can directly impact her survival and long-term outcome.

With sincere gratitude,

Sakina Valika