Baby’s smile raised P10M for surgery

More than 4,500 people donated more than $197,000 to the Labuschagnes to cover the boy’s surgery in the US. #MichaelLabuschagne

A 14-week-old British baby boy who smiled at his father when he woke up from a coma and survived a cardiac arrest in March moved netizens to donate money sought by his parents for their son’s heart surgery.

Michael Labuschagne’s smile not only gave his parents Emma and Stuart a moment of happiness but also the will to help their third child overcome a rare heart tumor. The mother started an online fundraising through GoFundMe to cover the baby’s $147,000 surgery at the Boston Children’s Hospital in the U.S.

The response was overwhelming as more than 4,500 people donated more than $197,000 as of this writing.

Labuschagne is scheduled for operation in April. Meantime, an internal defibrillator and pacemaker support his heart and together with daily medication keeps him alive and giving more precious smile to his parents, siblings and others.

The family is thankful to donors who helped them raise the needed money for the medical expenses.