Three-year-old Refael ben Hodaya was born with holes in his tiny heart. At just a few months old, he bravely endured open-heart surgery. The surgery succeeded — but his battle was far from over.
Six months ago, tragedy struck again. A vicious virus attacked his heart, leaving Refael in critical condition. Refael’s tiny body was wracked with fever and struggling to survive. For 6 terrifying days, his parents watched as he was placed on an ECMO machine, which completely replaced his heart and lungs, as Refael’s heart could no longer circulate his blood, and he could not breathe on his own.Â
Finally, on August 11, the doctors made a fateful decision - they performed complex surgery to implant Refael with the Berlin Heart ventricular assist device (VAD) — an artificial heart that is keeping him alive today.
The Berlin Heart is not a long-term solution. It can only sustain Refael for a few months. Time is quickly passing and Refael now has only one chance at survival: a real heart transplant.
Refael is on the heart transplant waiting list in Israel, but in such a small country child-sized donor hearts in a fitting condition for transplant are extremely rare, and most likely one will not be found in time to save Refael’s life.Â
Doctors have confirmed: Refael’s only hope is to fly to Houston, Texas, for urgent transplant surgery. The USA has a much, much larger population than Israel and it’s more likely that a heart will be found for Refael there.Â
The transportation and transplant surgery costs are an astounding $120,000.Â
It’s a huge sum of money - especially for an Israeli family with 6 children. Refael’s family has no way to pay to save their son’s life.Â
Donate now to save Refael’s life. He has his whole life in front of him, and with a heart transplant he has a chance to live a full and normal life!!Â
& please, please daven for Refael ben Hodaya for a complete Refua Shleima!!Â
