Bryan was a 16-month-old baby boy from Quito, Ecuador. He was born with a genetic
abnormality called Noonan's syndrome. This is associated with heart abnormalities as well
as other problems. Bryan had pulmonary valve stenosis (a narrowing of the valve that leads
from the heart to the lungs) and an atrial septal defect (a hole-in-the-heart0. The necessary
open-heart surgery to repair this cardiac defect was not available in his home country and the
Ecuadoran Embassy in Washington sought help in the United States. The Worldwide
Children's Foundation of New York answered the call and arranged for Bryan and this
mother, Veronica, to travel to the United States and receive care at Montefiore Medical
Center in New York. After a thorough cardiac evaluation by Dr. Henry Issenberg, Bryan
underwent repair of his heart abnormalities by Dr. Gregory Crooke and his surgical team.
Bryan, who was small for his age and could barely walk because of his heart condition,
recovered quickly after surgery. Now an active and growing child, he was given a clean
bill-of-health by his doctors before he and his mother returned to Ecuador.