The parents of a 16-year-old girl suffering from a serious heart disease sought public donations Friday so she can afford a heart transplant.
The girl, Mei Sano, has been suffering from dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) for nearly six years. In DCM, the heart becomes enlarged, which stretches out and weakens its muscles and prevents its from pumping efficiently, they said.
Columbia University Medical Center has agreed to accept Mei, but an overseas transplant costs almost ¥200 million, her doctor, Minoru Ono of the University of Tokyo Hospital, said at a news conference.