Baby from Panama awaiting surgery in Morristown
BY MINHAJ HASSAN for the Daily Record - MORRISTOWN -- Daniel Humberto Morales seems to have a permanent smile on his face. The 9-month-old Panamanian boy's smile is especially poignant as he was born with a congenital heart condition marked by a large hole in the heart and inverted arteries. Daniel and his mother, Yecenia, were brought to the United States on July 8 with help from the Morristown Rotary Club, which is contributing money toward surgery for the boy. A local Rotarian is putting the family up while they are in this country. The baby's arrival was sudden for the Rotary Club, since new President Dolores Bagish started on July 1, and addressing the need posed a challenge. However, everything worked out, according to Bagish. "This is really big for us," said Bagish, who has been a Rotarian for four years. "We hadn't sponsored a child in a long time." Morristown resident Chris Flanagan and his family, who live on Washington Avenue, agreed to host Daniel and Yacenia. A group of volunteers is doing tasks for the family, such as driving. (more)
Daniel is to have a heart catheterization and other surgical procedures at the Children's Hospital at Newark Beth Israel Medical Center.
The Morristown Rotary Club will contribute $5,000 toward the surgery. The remaining $70,000 to $75,000 will come from other charities.
The club participates in the Gift of Life program, a charity that helps provide care to babies with defects. The babies, Bagish said, usually are from countries with limited resources.
According to Alan Feehan, director of the Gift of Life International, physicians from Panama contacted a Rotary Club there and reported Daniel's heart condition. The Gift of Life is a "centralized network" that provides information to participants, Feehan said.
"When they are particularly severe, they are brought over here," Feehan said. Money for transportation is paid by the country they are from.
Panamanian club members were looking for someone willing to sponsor Daniel for the surgery. The Morristown Rotary Club took up the offer.
Feehan said two major arteries in Daniel's heart are transposed, and there's a large hole. Doctors will repair both during the surgery, which is scheduled for next week. The surgery typically takes four hours, according to Feehan.
Feehan said baby also looks diminutive for his age.
"He looks 5 months old," he said.
According to the Mayo Clinic, eight out of 1,000 babies are born with structural flaws in their hearts, known as congenital heart defects, which include holes in the heart. The holes allow blood that contains a lot of oxygen and blood that is oxygen-deprived to mix.
If the holes are large and a lot of blood is mixed, the blood that is circulated through the baby's body usually has little oxygen, according to the medical center.
Flanagan said he's noticed that Daniel is like any other joy-filled infant. He said Daniel always looks very happy.
"He's got the will to play and crawl and push the limits just like any other baby," Flanagan said. "But he gets tired easily and sleeps a lot more than a 9-month old baby would."
All are hoping that after the surgery, Daniel will be able to live the life most babies do, marked by a lot of play and happiness.
