Arantxa is a two month old little girl who has been diagnosed with a congenital heart defect. She underwent major heart surgery within a few weeks of life and had to return to the operating room about a month afterwards due to further complications. Arantxa’s father works full-time while her mother remains at Arantxa’s bedside throughout the day. She has three older siblings that the grandmother is helping care for during Arantxa’s hospitalization. Arantxa has remained in the hospital longer than the family anticipated. After finding out about the second surgery, her mother verbalized the family’s financial hardship and need for assistance. At this point the Extra Step came in to provide financial support with the surgery, which left the mother in tears as she expressed repeated and extensive gratitude.
