Yaretzi was born on October 4th, 2018. She was diagnosed before she was born during her mother’s five-month ultrasound in which doctors found a heart defect known as Truncus Arteriosus, a heart defect where there is a missing artery. At only two weeks old, Yaretzi obtained her first open-heart surgery, and we were told that Yaretzi would need more surgery as she got older. The artificial artery that was placed during her first surgery doesn’t grow, which means that the artery needs to be replaced as Yaretzi grows. After Yaretzi stops growing, she will have surgery every ten years to replace the artery. Yaretzi got her heart defect from a genetic disorder called Digorge syndrome (22q11.2 deletion syndrome ), a condition where a small portion of chromosome 22 is missing. It occurs in 1 of every 4,000 births, and it has the potential to affect every system in the body, often leading to a wide range of health issues. Some of the health issues that Yaretzi has so far besides a heart defect are poor immune system function and a feeding problem. There is no known cure, but most symptoms can be treated or managed. Yaretzi is now 20 months old and requires a second surgery. 

This month Yaretzi is scheduled to receive her second heart surgery. Not only is her mother overwhelmed due to the upcoming procedure, but she is also a student who will be taking classes at the same time, which will surely add to her stress as well. Although the majority of medical expenses are taken care of, other out of pocket expenses are looming over her mother's head and because of Covid-19, Yaretzi's older brother will not be able to go to the hospital with them and their mother will have to pay someone to accommodate him while she is with Yaretzi. As a full-time student, and because Yaretzi will be in the hospital for no less than three weeks, her mother will not be able to work. Her inability to work will complicate her already constricting budget; your donation will help this small family immensely. It will give Yaretzi's mother peace of mind and allow her to focus on the recovery of her daughter. 

Yaretzi is a happy, fun-loving, sweet, and sassy girl who is surrounded by love. She is a blessing to anyone who knows her. Please consider donating and sharing this fundraiser for this strong and beautiful baby girl.