It was a challenge for local doctors, a little girl born with a hole in her heart. The surgery typically would last an hour, but Abigael’s defect was far worse.
The doctors worked well into the night to help her and Monday, grateful volunteers showed the medical team their thanks.
In Uganda, there is no Thanksgiving, but more importantly, there are no doctors who could fix 5-year-old Abigael's birth defects.
"Many holes sort of. A number that's hard to count," said Dr. Danielle Gottlieb Sen, LSUHSC Assistant Professor of Surgery in the Division of Pediatric Cardiothoracic Surgery.
Abigael was discovered by Children's Heart Project doctors, part of Samaritan's Purse. HeartGift of Louisiana stepped in and brought her more than 8,000 miles across the world to Children's Hospital, where a team worked more than 12 hours fixing the big hole and numerous small holes in her heart. The defects would have taken her life before she had a chance to grow up.
Ioanise Morris took in Abigael and her cousin like they were her own. She said God blessed her with a home when she came from Haiti to New Orleans. Now she gives thanks by opening her doors to all.
"God blessed me with my gift. I got to use it for God. I can not pay God for what he do for me because he take me long way," said Morris, 75 who has already bonded with the child.
Dr. Sen trained in her specialty for two decades and is one of only a handful of women in this specialty.
When I came out and talked to the family, I said, 'We're going to try. We're going to try again because we want it to be perfect," Dr. Sen said after discovering there were multiple channels and holes like Swiss cheese in the child's heart.
The HeartGift volunteers say Abigael is the 52nd child they will send back home, healthy.
"We have the ability to answer somebody's prayer right now. There are moms all over the world who are praying for an answer and we can give it to them," said Stephanie Berault, the Executive Director for HeartGift, the Louisiana Chapter, who is a mom herself.
HeartGift volunteers gave the surgical team a chance to take a break and break bread together, and see, one last time, the smiles of a healthy child whose future is forever changed.
Across the U.S. HeartGift has helped more than 400 children. If you'd like to donate or become a host family click here: