Heba – Iraq

Baby Heba was born to a humble family living on the outskirts of Baghdad. Her mother noticed straight away that Heba was very frail and had trouble breathing.

The family took their newborn to the local hospital where she was diagnosed with a severe form of congenital heart disease called Tetralogy of Fallot which necessitated immediate surgery if she was going to live. However, the care that baby Heba needed was not possible in Iraq.

Alerted to baby Heba's plight by a BBC news broadcast, Chain of Hope organised for her to be treated in the UK. Heba and her mother were accompanied out of Iraq by Dr Chris Walker, a medical volunteer for Chain of Hope who administered oxygen to Heba on the flight.

Mr B Sethia performed a Total Correction operation on Heba at the Royal Brompton Hospital, saving the baby's life. From a lifeless, blue and breathless baby, Heba’s transformation as she recovered was incredible to see.