Sylvie Personnaz and her husband have been a host family for the Mécénat Chirurgie Cardiac association for 13 years. In total, they accompanied 14 children with heart problems who came to have heart surgery in France. Sylvie confides in this experience, rich in emotion and sharing.
- Each year, Mécénat Chirurgie Cardiaque organizes heart operations for more than 400 children who live in countries where they cannot be operated on due to lack of technical and financial resources.
- Sylvie Personnaz and her husband have been a host family for the association for 13 years and have welcomed 14 children into their home to date.
- The reception lasts on average between 6 and 8 weeks. For Sylvie, it is a great adventure: “He leaves healed and we are enriched by these bonds of reciprocal affection.”
Inoussa, Wassila, Ibrahima, Abdou, Mathis… these children have all had heart surgery thanks to Mécénat Chirurgie cœur. This association, founded by Professor Francine Leca in 1996, finances and organizes the arrival of young patients who cannot undergo heart surgery in their country. Sylvie, her husband Olivier and their 3 children are one of the links in this chain of solidarity, set up to offer them a life without heart problems. How ? They are host families for the association and took care of these children with heart problems during their stay in France.
Cardiac surgery sponsorship: “We all agreed to welcome children from the association”
Becoming a host family for Mécénat Chirurgie Cardiac is a family project for Sylvie and Olivier. The idea was born from reading their children’s school newspaper. “13 years ago, I opened this little journal even though I never usually read it. On the back cover, a family from the school spoke about their experience as a host family for the association. What she said touched me so much that I sought to find out more.”, confides Sylvie. “I then went to see the association and had good contact. They explained to me in detail how welcoming a child works and the commitments that ensue.“
At the same time, his eldest expresses the desire for the family to do something together focused on others. This desire, shared by everyone, transformed interest in the mission of Mécénat Chirurgie Cardiac into a concrete project.
“We all agreed to welcome children from the association. So I contacted her again to say: banco. At that time, I was told: that’s good, I have a child coming in 8 days and I don’t have any family for him. So we got into it right away. And ultimately, it was just as well. It avoids procrastinating.”
This is how Inoussa, 11 years old, from Niger, arrived at their home and shared their daily life during his operation and his convalescence. “He was around the ages of my children who – at the time – were teenagers and pre-teens. It went very well. We then continued to offer to welcome children on average once a year. We has had 13 since then, and the 14th arrives on February 20.”
Host family for children with heart problems: “There is a strong bond that is created”
A presence, affection, laughter, comfort… this is what Sylvie tries to bring to the children she takes care of. No need to have medical training: “For care, it’s like that required of a parent. We monitor the scar, the fever, the taking of medication, the diet, but there is no medical procedure in itself. There is no you don’t need to be a nurse”she assures.
From meeting the child at the airport, until their departure, and throughout their care journey, the stay lasts on average 8 weeks. If everyone has to get to know each other during the welcome, a bond is formed quite quickly with the young guests, according to Sylvie. “You go to pick him up at 6 a.m. in Roissy whereas before, you just had a photo and a medical file. They put him in your arms even though he is tired from his journey and you are responsible for that. creates an immediate attachment. Children also become attached quickly, because you are their reference. You are “the nice one”: you are there to dress them, feed them, play with them. And even if you take them to medical appointments are not always easy for them, you are there for them. There is a strong bond that is created in these conditions.”
Open heart surgery: “It’s impressive to see the speed of improvement”
Sylvie accompanies the children to each examination and medical appointments. She goes to see them every day during the hospitalization to provide comfort. “We’re happy when we bring them home. It’s so cute to see them happy to get out of the hospital”she admits.
“Open heart surgeries are vital for them and complex. If the first days are not easy, they recover quickly.” On their return to Sylvie and Olivier’s home, the little ones who underwent surgery gradually discover life with a repaired heart. “They are breathing well, they are no longer out of breath. They are running everywhere. It’s great.” With certain pathologies, they can be out of breath after eating 4 mouthfuls before the operation. It’s impressive to see how quickly the improvements once the heart is repaired.”
“Welcoming also brought our family a great openness to other cultures and other lives… It taught us commitment and reminded us of the importance of giving to others and no longer necessarily looking only at our navel. My children, who grew up as a host family for Mécénat Chirurgie Cardiac, have become adults who are attentive to others. My eldest also turned to the association.”
Departure of the children: “We of course have a pang in our hearts”
After so many weeks spent together, how are departures going? “We of course have a pang in our hearts, but we are so happy that he is returning cured to his parents and his family. It’s our role, we are a link in the chain.”
To avoid confusion, the Personnaz family has its stratagems. “Generally, we put everything away very quickly after they leave: the folding bed, the car seat, the clothes… then we go to the cinema, to the hairdresser, to dinner with friends.”
Sylvie also got into the habit of making an album which retraces the stay of her little guest and slipping it into her suitcase. “There are photos of us, of his room, of our games. I also put those of the hospital, with the doctor, in the car. That way, the parents and the child can visualize what happened. spent in France. I also add little words from my children and me, as well as our contact details for news.”
“We always have at least one when the little one arrives home. The parents are very grateful each time. But when they say that we saved their child, I always answer: no, I just accompanied him during his stay for the doctor to save him.”
Reunion with Ibrahima: “It was a very touching meeting”
Today Sylvie has very regular exchanges with more than half of the 13 children welcomed. A link that is easier to maintain since the explosion of messaging and social networks. She also took advantage of a trip to Senegal to see Ibrahima, her first “little one”, and meet her parents, 5 years after her visit to France.
“I sent a message a bit like a bottle in the sea when we arrived in Senegal, because we didn’t have much news. But we got a response within a second.” It turned out that Sylvie and Olivier were only staying about thirty minutes from the little boy they had met at the age of 3 and a half, and who is now 8 years old. A real party awaited them as well as gifts, good food and lots of emotions.
“The first thing Ibrahima took out when he saw me was his photo album. He then went to get the little cars that I had put in his suitcase. His parents were able to tell us in person about the reunion at the “airport. It was a very touching meeting.”
For Sylvie, there is no doubt that welcoming a child who cannot benefit from heart surgery in his country is “a great adventure”. “He leaves healed and we are enriched by these reciprocal bonds of affection.”
For more information on Mécénat Chirurgie Cardiac host families, you can go to the association’s website.