Lis story
Lis was born in Pristina, Kosovo, he is 8 years old, and he suffers from aortic insufficiency. This means that the aortic valve in his heart does not work properly, and prevents the normal blood circulation in the organ. Aortic insufficiency is a debilitating condition, which causes constant tiredness, pain and shortness of breath.
Lis urgently needs a new aortic valve, but this kind of surgery cannot be carried out in Kosovo. His family does not give up though, and gets in touch with Giannina Gaslini Hospital in Genova, Italy. Luckily, the hospital is ready to welcome the boy. Lis now needs to fly to Italy as soon as possible, with the help of Flying Angels.
The departure
When Lis’ family shares his story and asks for help to Flying Angels, the Foundation starts looking for a flight from Kosovo. Unfortunately, the flight connections from Kosovo to Italy are quite fragmented, and Lis needs to stay on the plane for the shortest possible time, due to his condition. For this reason, he and his mom need to travel from their city Pristina to Tirana, where they can finally board a direct flight to Genova.
Surgery
On December 20th, Lis undergoes a delicate cardiac surgery. His aortic valve is substituted successfully, but neurological complications arise during the procedure, and the boy temporarily loses his motor skills in the left side of his body. The first days after surgery are critical: Lis is moved to intensive care, but medical team is optimistic about his recovery, and they start physical therapy sessions.
Only a month after his surgery, Lis has shown all his strength and bravery, and reached important milestones: now he can walk again with the help of a walker. It is really a great improvement, which gives a renewed hope for his future.
Back home
Lis has travelled back home at the end of February. He is much stronger than he was prior to his surgery, and he is still doing physical therapy with great results. According to the medical team who treated him, Lis’ motor skills will be back to normal within six months, and soon he will be able to run and play with his friends again.
