A Journey to a New Life: Stories of Children Saved by Love and Support As part of a special Mother’s Day initiative, Lancôme and the Tvoya Opora Charitable Foundation raised 1,000,000 UAH to fund life-saving surgeries for children with congenital heart defects. Thanks to this campaign, dozens of children received a second chance — and a healthy future. Now, we are sharing the real stories of the young patients whose lives have been changed forever thanks to your support.

A Brave Heart: Stanislav’s Fight Against Tetralogy of Fallot

Eight years ago, on a winter day in Vinnytsia, a little boy named Stanislav was born. From the very beginning, his life became a test of strength — shortly after birth, doctors diagnosed him with Tetralogy of Fallot, a complex congenital heart defect that hadn’t been detected during pregnancy. This diagnosis marked the start of a difficult, yet hopeful journey for his family.

Stanislav spent his first month in hospitals undergoing numerous medical tests. Doctors eventually referred the family to Kyiv for more advanced evaluation. At the Amosov National Institute of Cardiovascular Surgery, specialists confirmed the need for heart surgery — but only once the child grew stronger.

Back in Vinnytsia, Stanislav’s family faced monthly checkups with cardiologists. Tetralogy of Fallot is a rare and severe condition involving four anatomical heart defects:

1. A narrow pulmonary artery, making it hard for the heart to pump blood to the lungs.

2. A hole between the ventricles, allowing oxygen-rich and oxygen-poor blood to mix.

3. A displaced aorta, receiving blood from both heart chambers.

4. A thickened right ventricle due to increased workload.

Surgical intervention is typically required to correct these issues and improve heart function.

Despite his diagnosis, Stanislav was an energetic and cheerful child, attending kindergarten and starting school like any other kid. His condition occasionally reminded the family of its presence, but it didn’t stop him from enjoying childhood.

In the fall of 2023, everything changed. During a routine visit to Kyiv, Amosov doctors finally confirmed that Stanislav was ready for surgery. In November, he underwent a six-hour operation where surgeons corrected the defects and implanted a conduit to improve blood flow.

After three days in intensive care, Stanislav began his recovery — slowly regaining strength and returning to everyday life.

Although it's not yet clear whether additional surgeries will be needed, his recovery so far has been strong. His operation was made possible thanks to Lancôme, whose support, as part of the “Big Little Heart” project, helped cover the cost of essential medications during his treatment at the Amosov Institute.

Today, Stanislav dreams of becoming a veterinarian, helping animals with the same kindness and care he received.

You can help, too.
Your support may be the lifeline for a child just like Stanislav — a child whose heart needs a second chance.