The Take Heart Mercy Mission Team first met Thaneesha Indika in 2010. She was one year old at the time and due her heart problem had spent months in hospital dependent on oxygen.  

She was born with a complex condition in which the aorta and pulmonary artery are the wrong way round. It was not possible to fully repair her heart in 2010, so a first stage operation was performed to 'retrain' her heart and lungs to cope with a normal circulation.

The Mercy Mission team were not able to return to Sri Lanka the following year so Thaneesha and her family waited anxiously, hoping that her heart function would improve enough to cope with a complete repair. During this time Thaneesha remained fragile often requiring medical treatment and oxygen. 

When the Take Heart team travelled back to Galle in 2012, Dr Simpson reviewed Thaneesha and her scans carefully and decided that she would be able to cope with the arterial switch operation. 

Conal Austin operated on Thaneesha for the second time in September 2012 aiming to repair her heart completely which would give her the chance to lead a normal life.

Following her surgery Thaneesha was critically ill and dependent on a ventilator even after the team had left Sri Lanka. Thankfully she gradually recovered and was discharged from hospital a few weeks later with a normal heart.

The delightful smiling girl in the photo is Thaneesha, growing laughing and active. She has a normal heart and we look forward to following the progress of this intelligent beautiful girl and her happy family for many years.