Heartbridge

On the top floor of the Hope Healing Home is a very special unit funded by LWB called Heartbridge. We are so grateful to Dr. Joyce Hill for allowing us this space, and so grateful to the sponsors of this unit who financially support the children who live here. We have 18 precious cribs in this room which house the most vulnerable and sick children that we discover from around China. We thought we would share just a few stories of some of the children living here currently with you.

First there is little Quang. We met this tiny little boy in October of this year. He was admitted to Heartbridge in November as a failure to thrive child with cleft. At 13 months, he was unable to turn over or sit up. Compare that to his report from December, which says the following:

Very ACTIVE and FAST. Uses walker to move about play room. He literally runs in the walker. He can maneuver though doors, so we have to make sure to keep the outer door shut all the time.

Heartbridge has been so wonderful for sweet little Mei, who had been hospitalized for two months by her home orphanage in Yunnan with cleft and heart issues before we moved her to Heartbridge. Read her most recent report:

Has been very healthy this month. She is the princess of her room. All the nannies fuss over her; she is very easy going and mild mannered. She is able to sit on her own unsupported, uses her walker well and gets around playroom well. Talks and babbles quite a lot.

So many of you have offered good wishes and prayers for little MiaoMiao. This little girl has really struggled since her abandonment, never weighing more than 3-4 kgs even at over one year of age due to her inability to keep food down. We had her moved to Heartbridge so that she could have a full medical work up done and where she could receive tender loving care. Her newest diagnosis is “cyclic vomiting syndrome” and we are hopeful that new medications are going to help her turn the corner. We loved her most recent update which described her as “bossy”. She loves to be held and is finally feeling well enough to let her wishes be known. She is much stronger than ever before, and at times she is able to hold her head up and can even hold small items now. The reality is that without our Heartbridge unit, MiaoMiao would have left this earth months ago. She is slowly gaining strength thanks to your wonderful support. We have the highest of hopes for her!

Little Zhou has just arrived and we know that he will begin to thrive in this unit. We were so thankful to have such a wonderful place to send him following his recent heart surgery.

Thanks to everyone who helps support this unit. So many little ones are having their lives changed because of it.