Teen with defective valve to undergo open heart surgery

McKyle Victoria —Contributed photo

MANILA, Philippines – In just a few weeks, 13-year-old McKyle Victoria will undergo open heart surgery to repair a defective valve. While understandably scared, he is determined to push through with the operation because he wants to live normally like any other teenager.

“I told the doctor that my son was nervous. The doctor told us, ‘That’s normal, if he wasn’t scared, I would have him checked by a psychiatrist,’” McKyle’s mother, Leonora, told the Inquirer with a laugh. “But he says he’s ready to get better. I also want him to get better so he can go back to being a normal boy,” she said.

READ: Saudi Arabia performs first-ever robotic heart surgery

No physical activity

McKyle was only 6 years old in 2017 when he was diagnosed with severe mitral regurgitation, the most common type of heart valve disease. This means the valve between his left heart chambers does not close completely, resulting in inadequate blood flow throughout the body.

As a result, he can’t stand up for long periods and has to sit down after a few minutes. In February, the doctor also prohibited him from doing any type of physical activity, including basketball, his favorite sport, after a 2D-echo test showed his heart was enlarged.

“He was shocked when the doctor told him he [couldn’t] play basketball anymore. He had to ask the doctor twice. And the doctor, because he wanted to show McKyle how serious the situation was, told him, ‘Not unless you want to go to heaven prematurely,’” Leonora said. “It’s very important that he doesn’t overexert himself because he could have a heart attack.”

Despite his condition, McKyle looks every bit like a normal teenager who is also a Grade 8 student in Baliuag, Bulacan. He excels in math, loves playing chess, and dreams of becoming an architect someday.

His doctor at the Philippine Heart Center in Quezon City has scheduled his surgery for Nov. 13. It won’t be known until they open him up whether the malfunctioning heart valve is due to an infection or a congenital defect. If it turns out to be an infection, the operation will cost around P600,000. On the other hand, a defective valve will need to be replaced, which will drive the cost up to P700,000.

Those who want to help McKyle can deposit their donations in his mother’s BPI bank account (account name Leonora C Victoria with account No. 0606344998). She can be reached at 0928-8113436. —Stephanie R. Asuncion