Anya heard music clearly for the first time the week after her surgery.

Anya was diagnosed with a ventricular septal defect — a small but significant hole in the wall between her heart's lower chambers — at three months old. Her family in Cebu City was told surgery would be needed before she started school, but the cost was far beyond what her parents, a jeepney driver and a market vendor, could reach.

By the time she turned six, Anya tired easily, caught infections often, and had never been well enough to attend a full week of classes. Her cardiologist at the Philippine Heart Center confirmed the defect had not closed naturally and that a corrective open-heart procedure was now urgent.

LittleCareFund verified Anya's case directly with PHC in July 2025. Donors from Australia and the United States covered the full surgical cost within eleven days of the campaign going live. The procedure was performed on 3 September 2025 by Dr. Reyes, Head of Paediatric Cardiology.

Anya was discharged ten days later. At her six-week follow-up, her cardiologist confirmed the repair was complete and her heart function was normal. She enrolled in Grade 2 in October. Her mother says she now insists on walking to school herself.