Kuala Lumpur: The father of an eight-year-old girl born with congenital heart defects is appealing for public donations to fund her life-saving surgery in the United States. S. Harsheetaa Sai, a student at Sekolah Jenis Kebangsaan Tamil Saraswathy, has been battling heterotaxy since birth and requires financial help to undergo the procedure at Boston Children’s Hospital, a leading medical centre in Massachusetts known for its expertise in treating complex heart conditions.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, her father, R. Selva Ganapathy, 42, said doctors estimate the procedure and post-operative care to cost around USD350,000 (approximately RM1.5 million). “Boston Children’s Hospital has made significant progress in treating cases like hers, with some patients surviving into their 40s. After reviewing her medical reports, the hospital confirmed that surgery is possible, though the final cost is yet to be determined,” he told Bernama.

Selva shared that Harsheetaa has already undergone two open-heart surgeries at the National Heart Institute (IJN) – the first when she was 18 months old and the second at four and a half years old. However, her condition has worsened, leading to valve regurgitation, an enlarged heart, and impaired blood circulation to her lungs. “Her oxygen levels have dropped dangerously low. Without timely intervention, her vital organs will be at risk,” said Selva, who is also a teacher at her school.

Donations can be channelled to his CIMB account (7001233409) or by contacting him at 012-2522689 for further details. Heterotaxy is a rare congenital disorder where internal organs develop in abnormal positions due to improper left-right patterning during fetal development. It commonly affects the heart, lungs, liver, spleen, and intestines, often leading to severe complications.