On February 14th, 2025, Ritka underwent another life-saving open-heart surgery using the Glenn method, a procedure that transformed her heart once again into a single-chamber heart. This was the second time in her young life that her heart was reshaped to give her a fighting chance at life. The surgery, which involved cardiopulmonary bypass and a beating heart-lung machine, was hours long, and the results would determine whether she could survive her congenital heart defect.

The Glenn method involves connecting the superior vena cava to the pulmonary artery, allowing blood from the upper body to flow directly to the lungs without needing the right ventricle. The only functioning half of Ritka’s heart—the left ventricle—could then focus on pumping blood into the circulatory system. Although this complex surgery gave Ritka a chance, the road ahead remains long and uncertain.

Immediately after the surgery, Ritka was transferred to the intensive care unit, where she spent critical days recovering. But the challenges did not end there. During subsequent tests, the doctors discovered aortic stenosis, a narrowing of the aorta, which caused significant pressure and placed an even greater burden on the remaining functioning half of her heart. This new diagnosis meant that Ritka’s heart was under more stress than ever before.

Despite these setbacks, Ritka’s fight continues. We’ve already come so far, but much more lies ahead. We are immensely grateful for the support we’ve received, but Ritka’s journey is far from over. We need your help now more than ever as we continue to fight for our daughter’s health, one surgery and procedure at a time.

From the moment Ritka was born, we knew that her fight would be a long one. We learned at 16 weeks of pregnancy that our daughter’s heart was only functioning with half of its chambers. HLHS (hypoplastic left heart syndrome) is a rare and critical congenital heart defect, and from the very start, we knew that we had to fight with everything we had to give our daughter a chance at life.

Ritka was born struggling to breathe. She was immediately placed on oxygen and given powerful medications to stimulate her heart and lungs. But despite these efforts, her condition worsened. Hours after birth, Ritka was rushed by ambulance to the Intensive Care Unit at the Children’s Memorial Health Institute in Warsaw. Her only hope was critically urgent surgery, and the doctors acted swiftly, knowing that without it, Ritka wouldn’t survive.

In those early days, Ritka underwent her first life-saving surgeries. On the seventh day of her life, she had surgery to narrow her pulmonary arteries, and a week later, she underwent a multi-hour open-heart procedure using the Norwood method. The surgery was complex, with Ritka placed in a state of deep hypothermia and connected to a heart-lung machine. Her tiny heart was kept beating with the help of machines, and for the next two days, Ritka lay sedated, her chest left open to allow immediate access to her heart in case of complications. The moments that followed were filled with terror and uncertainty, and we held on to hope, praying for our daughter’s survival.

For two weeks, Ritka was kept in a medically induced coma to allow her heart and lungs to recover. It was a time filled with fear, but we never gave up. Ritka, despite her tiny body and weakened state, showed us the strength of a fighter. Slowly, she began to breathe on her own, and she was transferred to the cardiac surgery and cardiology ward. But this was just the beginning of her long road to recovery.

As Ritka’s condition stabilized, we were reminded that her heart was still in critical condition. The surgeries she would need in the future to transform her heart into a single-chambered system would only be the start. Due to the wear and tear on her heart, Ritka may eventually need a heart transplant. But even with the latest medical technology and treatments, the costs are overwhelming. Ritka’s care requires ongoing surgeries, medications, rehabilitation, and the purchase of specialized medical devices.

In addition to her heart condition, Ritka faces challenges with her voice. During surgery and a lengthy period of intubation, the laryngeal nerves were damaged, resulting in the complete loss of her voice. Ritka now requires speech therapy and ENT treatments to recover her ability to speak and communicate.

Despite the immense challenges she faces, Ritka’s spirit continues to shine through. She is our greatest gift, and every day we are grateful for the moments we have with her. We want Ritka to have the chance to live a full life, to grow up and enjoy the simple pleasures that many of us take for granted. But to make that dream a reality, we need your help.

Ritka’s journey is a long one, and the costs associated with her treatment are significant. We are asking for your support—whether through donations or prayers—so that Ritka can continue to fight for her life. Your generosity will help provide the medical care, treatments, and surgeries that Ritka needs to survive and thrive. Every bit of help, no matter how small, brings us closer to our goal of giving Ritka a future filled with love, hope, and happiness.

Thank you for being a part of Ritka’s fight. We couldn’t do this without you, and we are forever grateful for your support.

Ola and Tomek, parents of Ritka