Zuzia’s Heart: A Life That Began With Courage And Continues With Hope.
Our daughter Zuzia was born on January 29, 2025, a day that should have been filled only with happiness and relief, yet from the very first moments of her life our joy was mixed with overwhelming fear.
Even during pregnancy, after numerous detailed examinations and consultations, doctors warned us that Zuzia’s heart was severely ill and that her life would begin with challenges no child should ever face. We carried that fear with us into the delivery room, knowing that the moment we met our daughter would also mark the beginning of a long and uncertain fight.
The diagnosis was merciless and impossible to soften: a congenital heart defect known as HRHS. From the start, we understood that Zuzia’s life would revolve around hospitals, specialists, and difficult decisions rather than ordinary childhood moments. Instead of planning peaceful days at home, we prepared ourselves for machines, procedures, and the constant fear of losing our child.
On the second day of Zuzia’s life, doctors attempted the first life-saving intervention, and we waited helplessly, holding onto hope with everything we had. Unfortunately, the procedure was unsuccessful, and just a few days later our tiny daughter had to undergo her first open-heart surgery. Standing beside her hospital bed, watching her connected to life-saving devices, was more painful than anything we could have imagined, and tears streamed down our faces as we watched our newborn fight for every breath.
From that moment on, fear became a permanent part of our everyday lives. Every beep of a monitor, every change in her breathing, every doctor’s expression carried enormous weight. We learned quickly that there would be no sense of safety, only moments of fragile calm between storms.
When Zuzia was eight months old, she faced another open-heart operation, and once again we gathered our strength, believing that maybe this time things would finally stabilize. For a short moment after the surgery, we allowed ourselves to feel relief and hope that the worst might be behind us. But that hope was short-lived.
A follow-up check revealed that Zuzia would need a diagnostic catheterization to assess whether her condition could remain stable, even temporarily. This meant another hospital stay, another round of fear, and more tears as we watched our daughter endure procedures far beyond what any child should have to experience. Each admission to the hospital felt heavier than the last, as the emotional toll continued to grow.
Today, Zuzia requires constant and specialized medical care. She is under the ongoing supervision of cardiologists and cardiac surgeons and must regularly travel for diagnostic and interventional tests that are essential to keeping her alive. Every single day is filled with uncertainty, knowing that bruising, breathlessness, or sudden complications can appear without warning and turn our world upside down once again.
The planning of Zuzia’s further treatment is still ongoing, and the road ahead remains long and frightening. More surgeries and procedures are expected, alongside regular rehabilitation and expensive medications that are crucial for her fragile heart. None of this is optional, and none of it can be delayed.
Despite everything she has been through, Zuzia continues to show incredible strength. She smiles, she fights, and she reminds us every day why we must keep going, even when fear threatens to overwhelm us. She is our greatest love, our greatest responsibility, and our greatest hope.
As parents, we are doing everything in our power to give our little daughter a chance at a healthy and happy life. But the reality is that this journey comes with enormous emotional and financial strain, from medical travel and specialist care to rehabilitation, medications, and future surgeries that we know are still ahead. These burdens are simply too heavy for us to carry alone.
We are deeply grateful to everyone who supported us during our previous fundraiser, because your kindness and generosity helped us survive moments when we felt completely broken. Your support gave us strength and reminded us that we were not alone in this fight. Today, with heavy hearts but renewed determination, we are asking for your help once again.
Zuzia is facing further stages of treatment, including additional surgeries and complex procedures that are essential for her survival. Each step forward brings hope, but also fear, and each step comes with costs that continue to grow. Your support allows us to focus on what truly matters, which is being present for our daughter and fighting for her future.
Every donation, every share, and every message of support makes a real difference in Zuzia’s life. Together, we can give her not only more time, but a better quality of life and a future with fewer hospital walls and more moments of joy. From the bottom of our hearts, thank you for standing with us, believing in Zuzia, and helping us give our little girl the chance she so desperately deserves.
With love and gratitude,
Zuzia’s parents
