Fifteen families were directly impacted by this initiative, including Samoan mother, Anakereti, and her eighteen-month-old son, Maselusi. 

From birth, Maselusi suffered from congenital heart disease, a condition that affects one in every one hundred children in the Pacific, according to the World Health Organization. 

Anakereti traveled with her son from their village of Fugalei in Upolu, Samoa, to Suva, where he underwent pre-operative checks, surgery, and post-surgery care over six weeks. She expressed her deep gratitude for the support provided through the Uto Bulabula – Healthy Hearts initiative. 

“I am so grateful for this program. Everyone has been so helpful, from preparing us for the surgery to guiding us on how to care for him now that it is finished,” she shares. 

“The surgery is finished, and Maselusi is doing well now. Everyone involved in helping us has been wonderful. There has been so much improvement—he has started to gain weight and has more energy to keep me on my toes.” 

The relief from health burdens and the improved quality of life represent the NZMTS's aspirations for the region. 

Anakereti shares what this medical intervention has meant for her family. 

“This has done so much for us. I have another son who is four years old and was born without a femur, so he is different. He requires a lot of care, so Maselusi’s surgery now allows me the space to better provide for my eldest son’s needs.”