Hi all. My name is Jana and I am helping my 6y old son Luke to raise money for medicine for his 11m old cousin Yasmine.

Here is her story.

When Yasmine was born, she looked like very healthy child. Next day the world has changed for her parents, for all of us in family. They have been told that there are some abnormalities on her heart. Everyone was destroyed as scans during pregnancy didn’t show any abnormalities.

She’s been blue lighted to the special children hospital back home in Slovakia. Many tests and scans and samples later parents have been told that Yasmine was born with Fallot Tetralogy, defects on a heart and lungs. Doctors were saying, they can’t treat it, the treatment is sets of many operations to try and prolong her life, many stays in hospital to keep checking her state.

All ours worlds have been destroyed. I traveled home when she returned from hospital after 3w. I wanted to meet her, because We didn’t know for how long we are going to have her ❤️Despite all this, Yasmine was growing as a healthy looking child and nobody believed she is that ill. She kept growing and growing, had a several stays and scans in hospital to check on her blood circulation and flow through the lungs and heart. Doctors kept delaying operations. She was surprising everyone on how well she is doing. During the summer just gone, she learned how to crawl and how to walk in age of 8-9m. As she was moving more because she was growing , we noticed that she was getting blue around her lips and on her limbs. We knew the operation planning was crucial and we knew it’s coming.

She was admitted to hospital beginning of September looking very healthy, surprised all staff there again on how well she looks. On the morning of 10th of September she was taken to theatres for the operation. Parents have been told it could take up to 8H. The day was so long. They finished about 4pm, parents have been told that she was very close to death and they had to resuscitate her, which was successful. But about 30m later she had to be taken back to theatres and her lungs and heart weren’t copying. Doctors sent parents home as they’ve been told it could take whole night. Everyone prayed she will survive.Nobody believed what is happening. She went from this

to this

She made it to next day, had to be put on ECMO to relief the pressure on the heart and lungs. Oxygen levels were going up and down, but she was alive. On Friday she was taken back to theaters to stitch the hole on heat heart. She was doing sort of ok.

Following Tuesday massive turn around again. During the ward round doctors could see on monitors that something is about to happen. And it did. Her right coronary artery ruptured. They all went above and beyond to save her. She was resuscitated for an hour and miraculously she survived. Doctors couldn’t believe how it is possible. They contacted doctors in Boston, USA, and they came in to see her as well, see the miracle. She had to be on ECMO again for few days. Then it was taken of for Yasmine to try and see if she is able to move her chest and breath by herself. Few days later, her mum put her finger into Yasmine’s hand and she squeezed it. Incredible response. She did little moments with arms and tiny with legs. Week later the movements stopped. She’s had MRI of her brain and devastating news. During the resuscitation her brain suffered from lacking of oxygen, which resulted in bleed, necrosis and swelling in her brain. Parents been told she won’t survive and have been put in front of the question that no parents should ever be put

Yasmine was taken off life support 2w ago and doctors said she won’t survive 4h. This miracle child had always had mind of her own and somehow, despite everything, she is still here and breathing her own, surprising everyone. She is on palliative care, but her strenght is incredible. Doctors don’t understand, they’re minds are blown because they don’t know what to do as Yasmine was nearly dead and yet she is still here.

She is receiving an amazing care, including physio as a part of palliative care as well. She likes lollipops and doctors urged mum to give her some for her brain to try and remember what to do. She will have another brain MRI to see what has changed. We are praying for this miracle child to never stop surprising everyone. As a part of her care, parents were told yesterday that she would need this special medicine to help her stop salivating so much. They are suctioning, but every time they go in, her mouth and throat lining is being damaged by tubes. The medicine comes from abroad and they said the health insurance won’t cover the cost, which is about 500€. Doctors will try hospital charity, but they said don’t keep your hopes up. So Luke has decided he wants to help raise some money towards the cost of the medicine by running Stevenage Park Run - 5km. If there would be more, he would like to donate all the rest of the money to the hospital where she is for the incredible care they are providing for many other sick children there. The health care staff are like angels there, going above and beyond to help and save the little miracles. Please support anyone who can as much or as little as you can. Luke is training very hard, I will be running alongside him for support .