As part of the Lancôme and "Tvoya Opora" initiative for Mother’s Day, we raised 1,000,000 UAH to fund life-saving surgeries for children. We are sharing the stories of young patients who have been given a chance at a healthy life.

From the moment she was born, Solomiia’s smile brought joy and warmth to her parents — even after they learned about their little daughter's congenital heart defect. It was hard to believe that those bright eyes might not see the world, and her laughter might not again fill the room.

After the diagnosis, the parents were immediately referred from the maternity ward to a hospital in the Rivne region. There, doctors explained that the baby was still too small, and time was needed. The first six months of Solomiia’s life revolved around one goal — gaining enough weight to qualify for surgery.

Those six months at home passed quickly. Solomiia grew stronger and reached the necessary weight. Following advice from friends, her mother took her to the Amosov Institute in Kyiv. After an examination, the doctors recommended coming back in six months — since the little girl was doing well and showed no alarming symptoms, immediate serious treatment was not needed.

A year later, Solomiia returned to the capital, where she underwent an urgent operation. Surgeons corrected the blood vessels in her heart, giving her the chance for a happy childhood. Though additional surgeries might have been needed in the future, for the next seven years Solomiia lived a normal life: she attended kindergarten and then school.

Last year, new symptoms appeared — shortness of breath, cyanosis, and fatigue. Without hesitation, her mother took her back to the Amosov Institute. Doctors confirmed that her condition had worsened and that another surgery was required. Fortunately, everything went well once again: the surgeons successfully repaired the blood vessels in Solomiia’s heart for the second time.

Behind this little girl's bright smile, it’s hard to imagine all that she and her family have endured. But her story reminds us that as long as we stand together, we have a future.
We are deeply grateful to Lancôme for supporting Solomiia through our "Big Little Heart" project and for providing the necessary medications for her surgery.