Family needs millions to pay for life-saving surgery

For more information about donating to help this child contact Serina on 082 659 8067.

December 22, 2021

Terry-Ann Diergaardt 1 minute read

Kyleigh Kista is still a happy child despite her medical condition. Photo: supplied.

A Benoni family has raised over R500 000 in crowdfunding to pay for their three-year-old daughter’s heart surgery at the Boston Children’s Hospital for what is described by her cardiothoracic surgeon as a monster in her chest.

This is still a far cry from the $295 761 (R4.7-million) that is needed in the next three months to perform the surgery in America as nothing more can be done for her in South Africa.

Kyleigh Kista was diagnosed with Tetralogy of Fallot with pulmonary atresia, VSD and MAPCAs at birth.

Her mother, Serina Kista, explained that Kyleigh struggles to get rich, oxygenated blood to circulate through her body because she was born with an absent pulmonary valve, underdeveloped arteries and a large hole in her heart.

Doctors have attempted nine surgical procedures, which include three open-heart surgeries on Kyleigh since birth with her first being at only two and a half months old.

Currently, Kyleigh survives on two collateral arteries, which are her main source of blood circulation.

Kista said it has been years of going back and forth, with doctors trying to get a unifocalisation procedure done for Kyleigh.

“We received a second opinion from an eThekwini-based surgeon, who suggested a heart-lung transplant, and also said we should try and reach out to surgeons in the USA as help could not be found in South Africa.”

The Boston Children’s Hospital had responded and quoted that family an amount that they are not able to pay by themselves and are pleading with business owners and community members to jump on board and donate towards their three-year-old’s medical bills.

The R 4.7-mil is only for the surgery and does not include post-surgery costs, flights and accommodation.