(firstcoastnews.com) JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA — Doctors at Wolfson Children’s Hospital are working to save the life of an infant girl from Ethiopia.
Baby ‘Rute’ arrived in Jacksonville Thursday night after a 17-hour flight from Africa into New York, followed by the flight to the First Coast.
She was accompanied by Hilda Ettedgui, the wife of Pediatric Cardiac Surgeon Jose Ettedgui, and co-founder of the children’s foundation, “Patrons of the Hearts.”
Baby Rute has a heart condition that would likely take her life in the coming months or years. Despite her 15-month age, the child weighs just 15-pounds.
Doctors at Wolfson were scheduled to do a thorough examination of the child Friday to determine if she needs heart surgery, or if the condition can be repaired through catheterization.
Her stay in the United States could last anywhere from four weeks to two months, depending on the prescribed course of treatment.
The girl’s parents were not able to accompany her on the journey.