5-Year-Old With Rare Syndrome Receives Worldwide Support

A 5-year-old girl from Russia with a rare medical condition has received an outpouring of support from around the world.

Virsaviya "Bathesba" Borun Goncharova was born with a thoraco-abdominal syndrome, also known Pantalogy of Cantrell. As a result, Bathesba's heart and other organs were located outside of her chest cavity, leaving just a thin layer of skin to protect them.

According to a fundraiser page set up by her family, her heartbeat is visible through the skin, and the condition occurs is less than 1 in a million births.

The page says that it is even more rare for someone with the condition to live to be 6 years old.

Hospitals in her home country and around the world have not been able to operate, and the Children's Hospital in Boston has postponed an operation due to her high aortic blood pressure.

Her family is attempting to raise money to cover medical expenses and recovery from the number of surgeries that she may require.

You can find out more about Bathesba on her YouCaring Page.