Sera Mafi is expressing her gratitude to God for a life-saving surgery provided to her three-month-old daughter, Talica Lewanikaria, by the Hearts 4 Kids Foundation New Zealand. This pediatric cardiac group has been performing transformative surgeries at the Sri Sathya Sai Sanjeevani Children’s Hospital in Suva over the past week.
Ms. Mafi recalls that the health concerns began during a visit to the Wainibokasi Health Centre for her daughter’s one-month and two-week vaccination. It was during this visit that medical professionals detected an issue. Following this, they transferred her daughter to the Sri Sathya Sai Sanjeevani Children’s Hospital, where an echocardiography was conducted.
“When I returned for the next clinic, I saw other children and their mothers who were grateful to be admitted to the hospital,” she shared. However, Mafi’s emotions surged when she learned her daughter had a congenital heart defect.
“From that moment until the day of the surgery and even now, I have been thanking God for giving me the strength to care for my daughter,” she stated. Mafi expressed her uncertainty about what might have happened without the assistance of the team from New Zealand, adding, “They told me she would receive surgery in September, and I am truly grateful that my daughter was selected for this intervention.”