Help save Pino
Donation protected
Giuseppe “Pino” Taffara, my loving ‘other half’ for 21 marvelous years, and father of our two precious daughters was diagnosed with Marfan’s Syndrome aged 28 in 1996. Marfan’s is a congenital disorder that affects the body’s connective tissue, causing abnormalities of the heart, blood vessels, bones, joints, and eyes. Some Marfan features – for example, aortic enlargement (expansion of the main blood vessel that carries blood away from the heart to the rest of the body) can be life-threatening.
Three days before our eldest daughter Dominique was due to be born, we were devastated when Pino was diagnosed with an aortic aneurysm measuring 9.5 cm. He was rushed into lifesaving emergency surgery to replace his ascending aorta and aortic valve. Our baby miraculously “hung in there” for an extra week, and nothing could keep Pino from being at my side 9 days later for the birth. Tears of joy overflowed at this double miracle – my darling at my side to help welcome our little angel into this world!
Six years later, a massive dissection of his descending aorta was misdiagnosed as a bleeding ulcer. Typically, untreated Marfan patients don’t live beyond 48 hours. By the time he was correctly diagnosed, it was sadly too late for a surgical repair. Pino miraculously survived this huge dissection, but within three years his descending aorta had expanded to 6cm, and he underwent a 14-hour touch & go surgery to replace his descending aorta, only to have it redone one month later due to a leak.
His doctors have since been monitoring an aneurysm just above his renal arteries. However, our worst fears were realized when a CT scan in June 2016 revealed an enormous aneurysm where the prosthetic descending aorta links to the native aorta, and another one in the aortic arch. These 3 aneurysms are life-threatening and in need of urgent surgical intervention.
His medical staff are wonderful, but lack the necessary experience with Marfan patients to confidently perform a high risk open heart surgery on Pino in South Africa.
In desperation, we turned to The National Marfan Foundation in America. Their recommendation was that Pino’s best option for a successful surgery lies with the surgeons at Stanford Medical Center in San Francisco, California. My children and I are dedicated to getting Pino the crucial surgical intervention that will keep him in our lives for many more years to come! Without urgent financial assistance this will not be possible and we fear the worst.
Pino (pictured above with our daughters, age 19 and 15) is a dedicated and generous husband, father, son and brother. He is passionate about life, hardworking, and a phenomenal friend to those who know him. He loves to play his drums (often keeping our neighbours up, much to their “delight” J), and spoils us by cooking the most delicious meals! However, his ailing health has caused his earning potential to suffer, and it has largely fallen to me to support our family, which is difficult on a teacher’s salary. Although we have appealed to our medical insurance/aid to assist with the surgical costs, we have been informed that there will be a huge shortfall.
We appeal to anyone who can assist in any small way to help save Pino’s life, and prevent a needless tragedy. For this, we would be eternally grateful.
Three days before our eldest daughter Dominique was due to be born, we were devastated when Pino was diagnosed with an aortic aneurysm measuring 9.5 cm. He was rushed into lifesaving emergency surgery to replace his ascending aorta and aortic valve. Our baby miraculously “hung in there” for an extra week, and nothing could keep Pino from being at my side 9 days later for the birth. Tears of joy overflowed at this double miracle – my darling at my side to help welcome our little angel into this world!
Six years later, a massive dissection of his descending aorta was misdiagnosed as a bleeding ulcer. Typically, untreated Marfan patients don’t live beyond 48 hours. By the time he was correctly diagnosed, it was sadly too late for a surgical repair. Pino miraculously survived this huge dissection, but within three years his descending aorta had expanded to 6cm, and he underwent a 14-hour touch & go surgery to replace his descending aorta, only to have it redone one month later due to a leak.
His doctors have since been monitoring an aneurysm just above his renal arteries. However, our worst fears were realized when a CT scan in June 2016 revealed an enormous aneurysm where the prosthetic descending aorta links to the native aorta, and another one in the aortic arch. These 3 aneurysms are life-threatening and in need of urgent surgical intervention.
His medical staff are wonderful, but lack the necessary experience with Marfan patients to confidently perform a high risk open heart surgery on Pino in South Africa.
In desperation, we turned to The National Marfan Foundation in America. Their recommendation was that Pino’s best option for a successful surgery lies with the surgeons at Stanford Medical Center in San Francisco, California. My children and I are dedicated to getting Pino the crucial surgical intervention that will keep him in our lives for many more years to come! Without urgent financial assistance this will not be possible and we fear the worst.
Pino (pictured above with our daughters, age 19 and 15) is a dedicated and generous husband, father, son and brother. He is passionate about life, hardworking, and a phenomenal friend to those who know him. He loves to play his drums (often keeping our neighbours up, much to their “delight” J), and spoils us by cooking the most delicious meals! However, his ailing health has caused his earning potential to suffer, and it has largely fallen to me to support our family, which is difficult on a teacher’s salary. Although we have appealed to our medical insurance/aid to assist with the surgical costs, we have been informed that there will be a huge shortfall.
We appeal to anyone who can assist in any small way to help save Pino’s life, and prevent a needless tragedy. For this, we would be eternally grateful.
Organizer and beneficiary
Michelle Taffara
Organizer
Tucson, AZ
Jacqueline Amelia Paravano
Beneficiary