Saving a Little Heart: The Story of Baby Kyrylo

The story of Kyrylo, a little Ukrainian boy, began with worry. His mother, Ester, learned she was pregnant in the midst of the war — yet the news filled her with hope and renewed purpose. She bravely walked a difficult path: during her first trimester, doctors fought to save her baby due to a high risk of miscarriage. Ester spent nearly the entire pregnancy on bed rest. Despite all these challenges, lab tests and ultrasounds gave reason for optimism — the baby was growing and developing well. And finally, the delivery went smoothly. Kyrylo was born in June 2023, and for a moment, it seemed only happy days lay ahead for the young family.

But just two months later, Ester began to notice that her son was struggling to eat, and almost every feeding ended in vomiting. Her worry deepened, and in the Bila Tserkva hospital, her worst fears were confirmed. Doctors diagnosed baby Kyrylo with a congenital heart defect — a perimembranous ventricular septal defect (VSD). As a young mother still recovering from childbirth, Ester now faced yet another enormous challenge.

Further examinations at Okhmatdyt Children's Hospital confirmed the diagnosis. Kyrylo was prescribed medication to help him grow stronger before undergoing surgery, which was planned for when he turned nine months old. The family spent those months in anxiety — but also in hope.

However, on July 8, 2024, the planned surgery was disrupted by a Russian missile strike on Okhmatdyt. Ester felt both relief — that she and her son were not in the hospital at that moment — and despair, as the life-saving surgery could no longer take place in the damaged facility.

Thankfully, Kyrylo was transferred to the National Institute of Cardiovascular Surgery named after M.M. Amosov. There, doctors operated on him for four hours, performing a complex procedure to close the ventricular septal defect. At last, they shared the words every parent longs to hear:
“The surgery was successful. No further intervention will be needed.”

It was the end of months of fear and anxiety — and the beginning of a new life for baby Kyrylo, now with a healthy heart.

That day, Kyrylo’s parents couldn’t hold back their tears of joy and gratitude. They thanked not only the doctors, but also those who helped provide the necessary medications and medical supplies for the surgery and recovery.

The family is especially grateful to Lancôme for their support as part of the “Big Little Heart” project for St. Nicholas Day 2023.