"A New Beginning: Szymon's Heart Surgery Miracle".2327
Szymon’s Journey: A Miracle of Hope, Love, and Unity
Dear Friends of Szymonek,
Your unity and generosity have far exceeded our expectations. Thanks to the donations received through the Siepomaga Foundation and Polsat Foundation, we were able to cover the costs of transport, accommodation, and the life-saving heart surgery for Szymonek in Geneva.
Today, we are filled with gratitude and relief because Szymon has already undergone the surgery, and everything went according to plan. He now has a two-chambered heart! Despite the incredibly rare and complex heart defect, the cardiothoracic surgeons in Geneva were able to save our Szymon’s life. His heart is now working much more efficiently. The oxygen saturation has increased from 79% to a healthy 96-98%!
A New Beginning for Szymon
Before the surgery, Szymon’s hands, feet, and lips were always cold and blue, a sign of how poorly his heart was functioning. But now, those same hands and feet have a beautiful pinkish color and feel warm. His little body, which had struggled for so long, is showing the early signs of recovery. Szymon is breathing on his own, and he even drank his first portion of milk independently after the surgery.
While he is still very tired and in pain, he is slowly regaining his strength. Our hearts overflow with tears of joy as we witness the miraculous changes in him. We long for the day when we see Szymon smile again after this ordeal. No words can fully express the immense gratitude we feel as his parents, and also as his sister Lenka, who is waiting for her big brother to return to his joyful self.
A Heartfelt Thank You to All
We want to take this moment to thank you all again for your incredible generosity and support during this journey. Every event, every fundraiser, and every person who came together to help save Szymon’s life has played a crucial role in making this possible. Without you, none of this would have happened. You have not only saved our son's life, but you’ve also restored our faith in humanity. Thank you from the depths of our hearts.
The Road Ahead: Ongoing Care and Support
While we are so grateful for the surgery's success, we know that Szymon’s journey is far from over. He will still need ongoing care from a team of specialists in Poland, including cardiologists, neurologists, physiotherapists, and osteopaths. These visits will involve traveling for follow-up tests, consultations, and rehabilitation. We still do not know the full extent of the costs associated with Szymon’s continued treatment, and for that reason, we humbly ask for your continued support as we move forward.
Right now, the most important thing is that thanks to YOU, Szymon has been given a chance at a new, healthier life!
We are beyond grateful for your unwavering support, and we ask that you continue to be with us on this long journey ahead.
The Gratitude That Fills Our Hearts
As we watch Szymon slowly regain his strength, we can’t help but reflect on how much has changed in such a short time. From a little boy who couldn’t breathe properly, struggling with every step, to a boy who now has a chance at life—this transformation is nothing short of miraculous.
We still have a long road ahead, but knowing that we are not alone in this fight makes it all possible. Every step forward is a victory, and we are so grateful for the hope and strength that all of you have given us. Without your help, Szymon’s recovery would not have been possible. You have given us a chance to watch him grow, thrive, and live a life filled with happiness and health.
Thank You! 💚🫶
From the bottom of our hearts, thank you once again. Your kindness, generosity, and support have given us more than we could ever express in words. Szymon’s new life has begun, and we are forever grateful to everyone who has played a part in this journey.
Together, we have made a miracle happen. Together, we will continue to walk this road with hope in our hearts, knowing that with each day, Szymon’s future gets brighter.
Thank you, once again, from the parents of Szymon.
The Road Ahead: What’s Next for Szymon
Although the surgery was a success, the battle doesn’t end here. There are still many challenges ahead, and we need your continued help. From regular medical check-ups to ongoing treatments, the road to a full recovery is long. But with your support, we know that Szymon will be able to face each new challenge with courage, just as he has with the heart surgery.
We’ll keep you updated on Szymon’s progress, and we will forever be grateful for everything you have done to help our little boy. He is our world, and with your help, he has been given the opportunity to live and thrive. Together, we are making the impossible possible.
Thank you for being part of Szymon’s journey. Thank you for helping us create this miracle.
“Half a Heart, a Whole Life to Fight For”.2257
“Half a Heart, a Whole Life to Live: Karol’s Fight to Survive”
Time moves too fast — and my little boy’s heart is growing weaker with every passing day.
Sometimes I lie awake at night, my hand pressed to his chest, feeling each fragile beat.
And every time his heart skips or slows, mine breaks a little more.
If his stops beating… I know mine will too.
A Miracle We Waited For
We waited a long time for our son.
The day I found out I was pregnant was the happiest day of my life — a day filled with laughter, plans, and dreams.
But happiness didn’t last long.
At
He stared at the screen, his face tightening with disbelief.
Then came the words that changed everything:
“Your baby has a serious heart defect.
He might not survive after birth.
Continuing this pregnancy could also endanger your life.
You have time to decide… up to the 24th week.”
And then came the question no mother should ever hear:
“What do we do?”
For me, there was never a question.
My answer was immediate and absolute:
We fight.
We don’t give up.
That tiny miracle growing inside me deserved a chance.
He deserved life.
Pregnancy Filled with Fear
From that moment on, every heartbeat, every ultrasound, every sleepless night was wrapped in fear.
But I kept whispering to him:
“Mommy and Daddy are waiting for you, sweetheart.
We’ll do everything to save you.
You’re strong. You’ll live.”
We named him Karol.
And though the months that followed were filled with tears, I held on to one truth — that love can make miracles happen.
The Day He Arrived
The day Karol was born was both the most beautiful and the most terrifying day of my life.
While he was inside me, he was safe.
But the moment he took his first breath, the battle began.
I barely had time to touch him.
They rushed him away — connected to wires, machines, and medications that kept his heart beating.
For five days, he lay in an intensive care unit, suspended between life and death.
He was only five days old when doctors placed him on the operating table for the first time.
They performed a systemic-pulmonary shunt, a procedure meant to buy time — a few months, maybe a year — until his body was strong enough for the next surgery.
When he came back to me, tiny and pale, I kissed his forehead and whispered,
“You did it, my brave boy.”
For a moment, it felt like we had defeated death.
But that peace didn’t last.
When Blue Turned to Purple
Six months later, the signs returned.
Karol’s oxygen levels began to fall.
I watched the monitor numbers drop with horror.
His lips, his fingers — even his little cheeks — turned a shade of blue that no mother should ever see.
He was gasping for air after only a few steps.
He couldn’t play, couldn’t laugh without exhaustion overtaking him.
The doctors didn’t hesitate.
Another surgery was necessary.
Within a month, he was back in the hospital for the Glenn procedure — the second stage in rebuilding his heart’s fragile system.
We prayed it would be the last operation for a few years.
That he would have time to grow, to rest, to simply be a child.
But fate had other plans.
The Diagnosis That Stole Our Sleep
Just six months after the Glenn surgery, we were back in the cardiology ward.
Karol had to undergo another heart catheterization.
When the procedure was done, the doctors came to us with grave faces.
The results were bad.
Worse than we’d feared.
His heart was deteriorating again — faster this time.
“He needs the next operation as soon as possible,” they said.
“There’s no time to wait.”
My knees went weak.
This would be the third surgery — the most complex of all, called the Fontan procedure.
This operation would decide the rest of his life.
It would determine whether his one working ventricle could carry him into adulthood — or whether it would fail completely.
A Heart That Was Never Whole
Karol was born with one of the rarest and most complex heart defects imaginable.
Inside his tiny chest, nothing works the way it should.
He has:
-
Pulmonary valve atresia
-
Mitral valve hypoplasia
-
Ventricular septal defect
-
Transposed great arteries
-
Criss-cross atrioventricular connections
-
An underdeveloped right ventricle
In simpler words — he has half a heart.
And somehow, that half must do the work of a whole one.
Every beat is a victory.
Every breath is a fight.
Living with Fear, Fighting with Love
Karol has survived two open-heart surgeries and three catheterizations.
Five times, I’ve held my breath and prayed that he would come back to me.
Five times, I’ve watched doctors fight for his life while I stood helpless in the hallway, clutching his tiny blanket.
He is our sunshine, our miracle, our reason for everything.
But his little heart is running out of strength.
Without the third operation — the Fontan procedure — he will not survive.
And every day without it is a risk we can’t bear.
The Final Stage — and the Hardest One
The Fontan operation is the last stage of surgical reconstruction for children like Karol.
It is also the most dangerous.
It will decide whether he has a future.
We know that even after it, he will need constant medical supervision.
We know that he will never be like other children.
But he deserves a chance — a chance to live, to grow, to run, to laugh.
He deserves to live.
A Mother’s Plea
I never imagined I would have to ask strangers for help.
But when it comes to my son, pride has no meaning.
I waited so long for him — I will not lose him now.
Every coin, every donation, every kind word matters.
Because it all adds up to what we’re fighting for — a heartbeat.
If his stops, mine will too.
Please, help us give Karol a chance to live.
Help us make sure his heart keeps beating.
Help us reach the surgery that could save him.
The Sound of a Heartbeat
Every morning, I wake up and press my hand against his chest, just to feel it rise and fall.
It’s the sound that keeps me alive — the sound of his tiny heart, fighting against all odds.
And every night, before he sleeps, he asks me softly,
“Mommy, will my heart be okay?”
I smile, even when my throat tightens with tears.
“Yes, my love. Because we’re not alone. Because there are good people in this world who will help us.”
From One Heart to Another
Thank you for reading our story.
Thank you for caring.
Thank you for believing that one small boy with half a heart deserves a full life.
Please — share Karol’s story, donate if you can, and help us fight for him.
Because sometimes, saving a child doesn’t take a miracle.
It just takes a little love from many hearts.
