Miss Wanwisa Tasana, 2 years old, or Nong Ton Khao, is the only child of her mother, Malaiworn, a Laotian who has been working in Thailand since 2007. She rents a house in Om Noi, Samut Sakhon Province. She used to work as a housekeeper, but when she got pregnant, she quit to work as a packer of children’s clothes, with an uncertain income. Nong Ton Khao was born at Krathum Baen Hospital. At birth, the doctor found an abnormal heartbeat, so he sent her to the Children’s Hospital for further treatment when she was 16 days old.

When the doctor made an appointment for each checkup, the mother had to pay for it herself because she did not have any medical benefits. Each time she went to the Children’s Hospital, she had to pay around 300-500 baht, but if she needed an ultrasound (Echo), it would cost around 2,000 baht.

The mother said that not long after that, Nong Ton Khao’s father left her and never contacted her again when Nong Ton Khao was 1 year old. The mother had to work to raise her child alone.

Not long after it was discovered that Nong Ton Khao had a congenital heart defect, the Children’s Hospital informed her that Nong would need surgery to cure her condition. But the mother asked to wait because she did not have money for the surgery. Until the child was 2 years old, the doctor said that they could not wait anymore and had to have the surgery because if it was left for any longer, the pressure in the lungs would increase, making the child’s condition worse and the risk of the surgery would be even higher.

So, Nong Ton Khao underwent the surgery with help from the Children’s Heart Surgery Foundation. The surgery was performed at Kasemrad Prachachuen Hospital on October 9, 2012. After staying in the hospital for 9 days, he was able to go home.

Mother Malaiworn said that she was very happy and would like to thank the Children’s Heart Surgery Foundation for helping with the expenses of the child’s surgery because she herself would not be able to find money to pay for the surgery for her child.