Liridona had a “hole in her heart”, a condition known as an atrial septal defect (or ASD) that
can cause congestive heart failure and possible lung damage.

Liridona, whose name means ‘desire for freedom’ in Albanian, is the oldest of five children.
They were living with their mother and father in a mud and straw house near the border of
Serbia. They had no indoor plumbing and survived on the little food they grew and milk
from the cows they owned.

Worldwide Children’s Foundation of New York, in partnership with Rotary International’s
‘Gift of Life’ program, sponsored Liridona and her father to come to New York City to have
the operation required for her survival. Housing was arranged at the Ronald McDonald
House which providescompassionate support for families and children with life-threatening
illness. The surgery was performed at the Children’s Hospital at Montefiore Medical Center,
by cardiothoracic surgeon Dr. Samuel Weinstein in conjunction with pediatric cardiologists
Dr. Christine Walsh and Dr. Raj Shenoy. Following successful surgery, Liridona and her father
returned home for her to enjoy a normal and healthy childhood.

Heart disease in children around the world continues to be a major public health problem. In
the United States more than 3,000 babies each year are born with ‘ASD’, which can be fatal
if not surgically corrected. Here we are fortunate to be living in a country where no child is
denied critical medical care. However, in developing countries the operation to repair ASD
can be too costly for families or may not even be available. These children will die because
they do not have access to the medical expertise or facilities that we take for granted.