Pyotr Arkhipenko

Little Peter has been living with a disastrously low saturation since birth - about 70%, which is very low. A dangerous disease - a congenital heart defect, left ventricle combined with pulmonary atresia of the second type - is to blame for everything.

"We learnt about such serious heart problems just a few days before our son was born. Before birth, the diagnosis was lighter, and only after it, the doctors dumbfounded our family with such a difficult verdict. Immediately after birth, Peter did not need surgery. Since the first days, we searched for doctors and clinics to operate on our son. Many specialists advised us to contact doctors in Germany, as there is much more experience in the surgical treatment of this particular combination of CHD," recalls Olga, Peter's mum.

In April 2018, Petya and his mother went to the Berlin Cardio Centre. But after examinations, doctors recognised the boy as inoperable. The parents turned to the Asklepios Clinic (St Augustine, Germany). Professor Asfour studied the data from Berlin, conducted his research, gave Peter a chance and took him for surgery. On 22 June 2018, Peter underwent open heart surgery, and one of his lung branches was plastinated and a shunt was placed. Recovery was overwhelmingly difficult. Peter had one complication after another: septicaemia, enterocolitis, and bowel perforation. Two weeks later, Peter underwent an urgent bowel operation and had a colostomy removed. Then there were three more heart probes, and following the results, the doctors could close three major collaterals, and the boy's condition began stabilising.

After a month and a half in intensive care and two weeks in the department, Peter was released home. The baby was in terrible condition. At almost a year old, Peter weighed only 6kg, ate poorly and struggled to gain weight. In February 2019, the baby had another operation, and a colostomy was closed. After this operation, Peter has so many scars on his body that not every adult has.

"At the end of 2022, my son and I visited a clinic in Bonn. The trip did not turn out quite according to plan. My son fell ill, and the virus was severe that the doctors excluded anaesthesia. Only a month later, they examined Peter. Unfortunately, we did not rejoice. The doctors informed us that his condition worsened and he needed an operation. However, doctors cannot offer further treatment for the single ventricle—only surgery to maintain his condition. Peter's condition has again challenged our family, and we have again started searching for a doctor who would undertake further correction of CHD"- Olga, Peter's mum.

And such a doctor has been found - it was Vitaly Pak from the Italian clinic in Massa. He is ready to take Pyotr for the operation. But the price billed by the clinic was too high for a family with many children. The situation was critical, and the boy's condition worsened every day.

We are grateful to everyone who came to Peter's aid. Together we managed to raise the necessary amount in the shortest possible time. We transferred the funds to the clinic's account. We wish Peter a successful operation and a quick recovery. Let there be only good news ahead!