Dominican mother seeks help for ailing child

Little Aida is suffering from a rare heart defect
Little Aida is suffering from a rare heart defect

A Dominican mother has launched an appeal in Antigua to raise funds for one of her twin children who is suffering from a rare heart defect.

Gillian Dupigny gave birth to Aida and Akira Dupigny just over five years ago. But shortly after they were born doctors discovered a heart murmur in Aida. Just around four months after, she had to be airlifted to a medical facility in Martinique.

She was examined by a team of specialists and was diagnosed with severe Ebstein’s Anomaly. This is where the valve that connects the chambers on the right side of the heart does not work properly and makes difficult the flow of blood.

Gillian and her husband, Lester, were told that there was no hope and that their little girl would not live beyond four days.

Aida celebrated her fifth birthday with sister Akira but in the midst of the joy of the occasion, her parents know that it is only by their prayers and faith that their suffering daughter takes another breath.

The parents now live and work in Antigua where they take Aida to see the Paediatrician every 4 to six months. She presently weighs about 28 pounds and stands at 102cm, well below the height and weight of her sister.

She is dependent on daily doses of Digoxin and Lasix. Her oxygen saturations are usually between 74-77% in room air.

Every year the parents fly Aida to Dominica to see a Cardiologist.

On her last trip in March of this year, they were told that her pulmonary hypertension is worse and that she is very polycythemic and needs to have a plasma exchange and nothing else can be done for her surgery wise.

With heavy hearts, the family returned to Antigua and bit by bit, Gillian shared the news with fellow employees at the Copper and Lumber Store Hotel where she works. A committee was formed to begin the process of finding help and ultimately raise funds so that Aida could receive the attention she needs.

The committee is chaired by Andy Liburd, the Managing Director of Epoch Communications, which supports the events and activities of the hotel.

On Friday May 1, after an arduous search to find the institution that would best help Aida, Gillian received a medical opinion and treatment options from the Boston Children’s Hospital. The BCH advises that she would need US$187,687.00 for a combination of services to correct Aida’s abnormality.

A fund has been started at the Dockyard branch of Antiguan bank, ECAB, in the name of Aida’s mother, Gillian Dupigny. The account number is 121000457.

Further, the crowd funding initative, GoFundMe, was utilized and can be found via a Facebook page that was started to sensitise the public about the cause.

“Every bit of help we have received so far is appreciated from the bottom of our heart. The journey ahead looks tough but thanks to the prayers, the kind words and the family of friends and family that have encircled us, we have been strengthened,” Dupigny stated.

CLICK HERE TO DONATE VIA GOFUNDME

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8 Comments

  1. Wawa
    May 15, 2015

    Dominicans love to offerprayerss when they are asked to help financial

  2. John
    May 14, 2015

    PM Skerrit should also get involved since she is Dominican. He may be able to get Chinese help in China or the USA.

  3. s.e
    May 14, 2015

    May the Lord heal this little girl in Jesus’ name amen.

  4. Prayers
    May 14, 2015

    I pray for your healing little angel of God. God bless you and your family and may he give you all strength!

  5. mom
    May 14, 2015

    I can’t support u financially but I pray that God healing hands will be on us baby continuous

  6. Elisa Guiste-Matthew
    May 14, 2015

    My dear friend Aida will be healed in Jesus name.. Claim her healing and believe it for you said it many times that He is able..

    • Annon
      May 15, 2015

      We know God will help, but will you please indicate if you will help too?

  7. God's child
    May 14, 2015

    God will make a way angel for God is love!!!! My prayers are with you and your family

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