Rubi – Age 1.5 – Bolivia

Shortly after birth, little Rubi’s mom noticed she was having a hard time breathing, eating, and hitting age-appropriate milestones. She was diagnosed with Tetralogy of Fallot, a combination of four severe defects that change how blood flows through the heart. These children are often called “blue babies” because of their blueish skin and nails that are caused by low oxygen levels in the blood.

The necessary surgery was not available in Bolivia, so the one-and-a-half-year-old and her mom, Jessica, traveled more than 3,600 miles from Bolivia to begin her HeartGift medical journey. Following surgery, Rubi immediately began to flourish and started to learn how to walk. Today, she’s happy and healthy, toddling around like toddlers do!