Esly Banegas in the Richmond International Airport with her daughters, son, son-in-law and husband
Esly Banegas’ heart condition caused palpitations, fatigue and shortness of breath, and made daily activities, including exercise, difficult. She was hospitalized multiple times and lived with chronic stress about her health. Her physicians tried to control the arrhythmia with medication, but with limited success. Banegas lives in Honduras, where the surgical procedure to treat her condition is not available.
“I feared that from one moment to the next another episode could occur,” Banegas said. “It was not a good quality of life.”
A Valentine’s Day to remember
Through Bon Secours Mercy Health’s Global Ministries program, Banegas received the heart procedure she needed at Bon Secours St. Mary’s Hospital in Richmond, Virginia. The day of her heart surgery was, appropriately, Valentine’s Day.
Bon Secours generously covered Banegas’s travel from Honduras to Richmond, and she was housed at the Bon Secours Evelyn D. Reinhart Guest House at no cost. Director of Cardiac Electrophysiology for Bon Secours Richmond An “Barry” Bui, M.D., donated his time and specialized skill to provide the procedure.
Combined diagnosis and treatment
Banegas had atrioventricular nodal reentry tachycardia, a problem with electrical signaling in the upper chambers of the heart. Left untreated, AVNRT can potentially cause other heart problems or worsen existing ones.
Dr. An Bui and Esly Banegas
Dr. Bui performed an AVNRT ablation on Banegas, both to confirm the diagnosis and correct the problem. In an AVNRT ablation, the physician inserts a thin, flexible tube called a catheter through a vein. Sensors on the catheter deliver radiofrequency energy and create tiny scars on the heart’s surface. The scars block the irregular electrical signals that cause the heart to race, restoring a normal heartbeat. “The procedure successfully treats AVNRT in 95% of cases,” he said.
Gratitude for the outcome
For decades, Banegas had lived with fear of recurrent heart arrhythmia episodes, which affected her blood pressure and overall health. Since having the procedure at St. Mary’s Hospital, life is “peaceful” without this constant anxiety, and she sees a bright future. The care she received at Bon Secours showed her “solidarity and love,” she said.
Banegas expressed a “huge thank-you” to Dr. Bui and the entire Bon Secours team. “Everyone provided support and attention for every moment of the process. I hope everyone knows about this immense, noble and selfless work,” she said.
An easy choice
Becoming involved in the program was “an easy decision,” Dr. Bui said. “I was very excited to be part of something larger than myself, and to give back by helping those in need.” The program is rooted in compassion, healing and service to others and is part of Bon Secours’ overall mission, which is to extend the compassionate ministry of Jesus by improving the health and well-being of our communities and bring good help to those in need, especially people who are poor, dying and underserved. “It provides a wonderful opportunity to use our knowledge to bring out the humanity in medicine and to better the lives of others.”
The healing connection
Taking care of Banegas and making a difference in her life was a meaningful experience, Dr. Bui said. “Medicine can transcend language barriers and differences in culture and ethnicity. The patient, her family and her physician in Honduras were incredibly gracious. We were all able to connect through the healing process.”
To learn more about care at Bon Secours, click here.
