A six-year-old girl, born with her heart outside of her chest, needs help paying for life-saving surgery, and the community is responding.
A six-year-old girl, born with her heart outside of her chest, needs help paying for life-saving surgery, and the community is responding.
"I like to draw Jesus, ponies and angels," said Virsaviya Borun, who also likes to dance. "I don't go to the school and I don't go to the ballet but I want to do it at home."
Virsaviya comes across like any other little girl, but there's something special about her, "My heart is right here. It's outside of my chest and I really love my mom, she's always touching my heart because she likes it."
Virsaviya's heart, about the size of a fist, is outside of her chest and has been that way since birth.
"When she started to cry, I saw how her heart and her intestine go out," explained Virsaviya's mother, Dari Borun. "Every day, she comes over and asks me, 'Can you touch my heart?'"
Since birth, even before, the big question has been: How long can Virsaviya live like this? She suffers from a rare condition called Pantalogy of Cantrell. Her intestines are also outside of stomach. She has no abdominal muscles or a diaphragm.
"I believe that Jesus would heal her," said Dari, who's from Russia but now lives in Hollywood with Virsaviya.
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For six years, Dari went against all her Russian doctors' advice and against all odds, they've found a surgeon in Boston to treat her but it's costly. She's a single mom who barely has enough money for the basics.
"It's gonna be expensive for sure and I tried to work with social worker and she said we don't have opportunity to apply for insurance," Dari explained.
But through all of these challenges, it's the heart that keeps them strong.
"My mom always told me that she loves my heart and I really like it," Virsaviya said.
The family has raised some money, but they need more. If you'd like to help, click here. This link provided is the only fundraising page. To make sure you're donating to the appropriate fund, click the link above or follow Dari on Instagram: @DariBorun.
Since the NBC 6 story first aired about Virsaviya on Wednesday, our Facebook post has been viewed nearly 5 million times and in a matter of hours, hundreds of dollars poured in to their fundraising page.
An anonymous donor also reached out to NBC 6, offering to cover the remainder of Virsaviya's goal.
"I don't have a family here. It's just me and Virsaviya, but now I feel like I have a family because a lot of people just caring about us. They love us. They want to help," Dari said.
Dari said some of these funds will be used to cover emergency medical expenses, but as for an immediate solution to Virsaviya's condition, doctor's told them she cannot get surgery at the moment.
"She can't get it because of her high blood pressure and pulmonary arteries. So if it goes down, if she will feel better, they're going to check her in two years," Dari explained.
Dari said right now, it's about covering the basics. It's just the two of them trying to survive in South Florida. The weather here makes Virsaviya's heart feel warm.
"She can't be in cold anymore. And when we were in Boston, they said the same. It was really cold and she got sick there too, but when she came here she feel better," Dari said.
Again, the correct link to donate to help Virsaviya is available here.
