The group is the largest TRFK has ever taken charge of, and included four- month-old Sachin Singh; five- year-old Pholmaitie Singh; Alvin Ramkumar, 14; Linden Mason ,15; Evlon Fordyce, eight; Mohan Persaud, 10; Jamal Frasor, six; Krishna Sohanlall, 12; Deepa Sahadeo, eight; Kayla Joseph, nine months; Hayden Mentore, 18 months; Anayah Lopes, nine months; Nathan Patterson, five; Masud Khan, 18 years; Lovlenia Persaud, eight years; Shelly Nauth, 33 years; and Tairajh Deokie, 50.

According to a release issued by the Foundation, all of the children were suffering from varying congenital disorders, such as ventricular septal defects (VSD); atrial septal defects (ASD); patent ductus ateriosus (PDA); Tetralogy of Fallot (TOF); and rheumatic heart disease (RHD).

“We had some very seriously ill children on this mission,” Jeanette Singh , president of the Foundation, was quoted as saying. A registered nurse, Singh is the one who accompanied the group to Delhi.

Noting that four-month-old Sachin Singh and five-year-old Pholmaitie Singh were the most gravely ill of the lot, Singh said it is a miracle that they made it all the way to India. Both children had to be admitted to ICU immediately upon arrival.

For Pholmaitie, it was her second open-heart surgery. The first was done some two years ago, and was facilitated by another organization. She yet needs to undergo one more such surgery in about a year’s time, Singh said, so as to have a conduit inserted into the organ, which should sustain her for life.
Singh said that because Pholmaitie is not yet out of the woods and needs further treatment, she was unable to travel with the group, which returned home a little over a week ago. But she is expected by Tuesday.

Meanwhile, young Sachin, who’d spent most of his short life in a hospital here in the city, had, apart from a large VSD (hole in the heart), a PDA (patent ductus ateriosus)and severe pulmonary artery hypertension which made surgery and post-operative care rather complicated.

“There were many challenges on this mission,” Singh said, adding: “Apart from having seriously ill children, there were other issues like bed availability in the ICU, accommodation for the children and their mothers, and transportation for such a large group. Most of the Guyanese patients required a longer stay in the ICU after surgery, mainly because they have developed pulmonary artery hypertension as a result of being left untreated since birth.”

Singh said the mission was largely made possible through the kind-heartedness and generosity of Toronto-based Guyanese businessman, Chris Mohan, who donated CDN$55,000 towards the cause, thus enabling the Foundation to assist the large group in obtaining the much-needed medical treatment.
The Foundation is also grateful to the local Ministry of Health for its financial contribution, as well as Mallika Mootoo of the St. Joseph Mercy Hospital, who provided medical support to some of the more seriously ill children before they left for India, and for rendering their follow-up care.

Also coming in for high praise were Drs. Viresh Mahajan and K.S. Dagar and the rest of the cardiac team from Max Hospital in Delhi for the excellent care they provided to the patients; Mann Travel of Brampton, Ontario for assisting with the Toronto to Delhi leg of the journey; and all those who came out in support of the February 12 fundraiser, which was held in Toronto.

The volunteer-managed Three Rivers Kids Foundation, has, since its establishment in 2005, to date has successfully helped 81 patients from Guyana to obtain life-saving treatment in India.

All three patients had very complex heart abnormalities and were very high risk cases.  They recovered well and returned to Guyana in good health.

Above left – Kenneth and Nicholas with Dr. K.S. Dagar, pediatric cardiac surgeon and Dr. Viresh Mahajan, pediatric cardiologist from Max Heart Institute, Delhi.

KIMBIA, BERBICE RIVER – Rockel Gladstone, 20, requires dialysis treatment twice weekly in Georgetown because of her non-functioning kidneys but her family is struggling to cover the costs.

“We have to pay $80,000 weekly for two dialysis sessions for my daughter and transportation. How can I afford something like that? I am just a poor peanut and red-bean farmer.”

Rockel Gladstone was diagnosed with renal failure last year after experiencing ill health since 2005. “We need money to do the kidney transplant. She is my only daughter and I would do anything to save her life. She is still very young, the third of five children. When she does not receive the dialysis she gets delirious. On any given day she can only use about 20 ounces of fluid whether it is tea, water or whatever.”

Her mother, Cheryl Gladstone, 41, of Kimbia, Berbice River, told Stabroek News that the dialysis costs $36,050 per session and she also has to pay $6,000 each time she and her daughter travel from Stanleytown, New Amsterdam, where they are staying with relatives.

Her savings are almost exhausted while her father, Frank Gladstone is not making enough money from their provision and peanut farm at Kimbia.

Rockel, the third of five siblings, returned home two weeks ago from Barbados, where she had gone since last September to be treated at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital. The woman said her daughter was on a life support machine for six weeks at the hospital. “I felt I would have lost her,” she said.

According to Cheryl, “Now that she is doing better, I feel real good.” But she is aware that her daughter “cannot be on dialysis treatment all her life” and is “ready for her to have a kidney transplant.” The woman said she and her husband both willingly agreed to undergo tests to determine who would be an eligible donor.

It turned out that Rockel’s father would be the one who can donate his kidney. However, their limited finances are holding them back and Cheryl is pleading with the public for assistance so her daughter’s misery could soon be over.

She said too that “from the time she got sick members of different churches and individuals prayed for her, and I wish to thank all of them. I want to tell them not to forget her now that she has recovered a little but to keep on praying for her.”

Paraphrased from Kaieteur News Online:

The heart-wrenching story of nineteen year-old Satish Gobin who was recently diagnosed with chronic renal failure, epitomises the tragedy of living in a poor country in an age of technological wonder. Satish’s parents (his father is a canecutter) struggled to raise him and give him an education that he may enjoy a better life than they had. He had just secured employment with the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission when his potentially fatal disease was discovered.

Satish has been receiving dialysis treatments at a private operation in Georgetown that has been providing dialysis treatment at some US$175 per visit. To cover the recommended three weekly visits, then costs US$525 or $105,000 Guyanese dollars. One can only imagine the desperation of a canecutter as he watches his only child literally die before his eyes just because he does not have the funds to cover the dialysis costs.

But this is only a temporary solution. The ultimate treatment of replacing the diseased kidney presents the question even more starkly: kidney transplants cost approximately US$150,000 each in the US or US$35,000 in India. Where is a canecutter to secure even the latter amount of $7 million Guyanese dollars?

His mother is willing to donate one of her kidneys to save his life. Three Rivers Kids Foundation hopes to raise this money as soon as possible to send him and his parents to India for surgery. Please see our donation page for information on how to contribute.

On Friday, April 16th, 2010, Three Rivers Kids Foundation officially opened its office in Guyana with free workplace space provided by the Gandhi Youth Organisation (GYO).

Speaking with the Guyana Chronicle newspaper yesterday at the GYO building on Woolford Avenue, Georgetown, President of the Organisation, Mrs. Jeanette Singh, said the aim is to serve poor Guyanese children whose parents cannot afford proper medical care for them.

She said the organisation started off treating cardiac cases but over time began handling several other illnesses that cannot be treated in Guyana. Though kids are targeted, Singh said that, since 2008, the organization has helped several adults. “We can’t say no to a sick person. A life is a life after all”.

The internationally recognised organisation is supported by voluntary donations and by means of fund-raising activities such as golf tournaments and boat cruises. Singh explained that the organisation faced a financial struggle initially, but over the past two years it has taken an amazing leap as people have been willing to make donations, provided they see the results.

Over the last five years, she said they have managed to help some 62 children, with the majority being from Guyana, and the minority from India, where one of the branches also exists. By the end of this year Singh said another branch in New York will be completed.

She recalled that a great accomplishment has been helping one young female to complete four open heart surgeries, with the final one that will sustain her life forthcoming.

Singh said they will be conducting a free cardiac clinic, which has already been approved by the Ministry of Health, from September 27 to October 2 later this year. She added that the organisation is working closely with the Caribbean Heart Institute (CHI).

Reflecting on the origin of the organisation, Singh said she never returned to Guyana after leaving at an early age, but was forced to do so when her father was murdered by bandits.

When she came home in the 1980’s, she recalled that she went searching for a childhood friend, Eva Baksh, whom she found teaching approximately 20 children at her home in La Grange, West Bank Demerara.

Her heart went out to the unfortunate children and, when she returned home, Singh said she began sending food, clothing and other items for them, with the help of her husband.

She said she also noticed that the children were in need of medical care and therefore sent medicines, which were distributed by her friend.

Having worked as a nurse for 25 years in the United Kingdom and Canada, Singh said she recognised that India was offering good health care at a low cost and she began investigating the possibility of taking the children there for medical treatment. Her husband proved to be very instrumental in this regard as he hails from India, she said.

As the demands kept growing, Singh said she decided to register what she was doing in Canada, which eventually led to the establishment of four branches.

Two GYO Committee members, Dwarka Nauth Budram and Muneshwar Sawh, showed up at the opening ceremony yesterday and expressed their delight at being able to accommodate the office of the organization on the GYO’s premises.

Budram said when they first heard about it, they realised that granting the space would assist the GYO in achieving some of its own objectives. He explained that the GYO is a charitable organisation that also seeks to reach out to poor people.

Budram said what he appreciates about the Three Rivers Kids Foundation is that it reaches out to people of all walks of life and is not confined to helping people of a particular race or religious background.

The names of the children who benefited from this mission are Chanidi Persaud 9 years from Parika, Amelia Shan 9 years, Neville Macdonald 2 years, Vrishty Persaud 18 months from Berbice,  Haseeb Baksh 14 years from Linden, and Raqueeb Rupan 18 years from Eccles.

For more photos of this mission, please see our photo gallery.

Four of the children underwent open heart surgery for various congenital abnormalities such ventricular Septal defects,  Atrial septal defects and valve replacements.

The group were treated by a very expericed and dedicated medical team consisting of Dr. Viresh Mahajan,  Paediatric Cardiologist,  Dr. Dagger, Paediatric surgeon and Dr. Rajesh Sharma, Paediatric intensivest.

Since inception in 2005,  Three Rivers Kids Foundation has now treated a total of 66 children – 56 children from Guyana and 10 children from India. The Foundation’s president – Jeanette Singh, a registered nurse – travels with the group and oversees their care.

Three Rivers Kids Foundation is planning to have a free cardiac screening clinic in Guyana  in September 2010.  “This will give us an opportunity to follow up echos on the children we have treated so far,  and to prioritise the new cases”, says Jeanette Singh.

The Foundation wishes to thank all those who helped to make this mission possible.

One child underwent her third open heart surgery. She had a Ventricular Septal Defect  (hole in the heart) repaired and a 22mm Pulmonary Valve Conduit.  She should be able to live a normal life now and will be able to start attending school in three months time,  and eventually be able to get married, have children etc.  This child will need to undergo a final open heart surgery when she is in her early twenties to replace the Conduit with a larger one which should sustain her for the rest of her life. Another child had an aortic aneurysm which was 7cms. The doctors were truly amazed that she made it all the way to India without the aneurysm rupturing. She was referred to as a walking time bomb.

The names of the children who benefited from this mission are Imitiaz Alli and Gabrielle Haywood both 18 months old, Sadna Persaud (4 years), Devin Ramlackhan (5 years), Diego Poon (9 years), Sherry Ann Martin (12 years),  Ashton Ramkumar (14 years), Keisha Tucker (18 years), and Zamankhan Khan (58 years).

The patients were treated at Batra Hospital and Medical Research Centre in New Delhi. The cardiac team consisted of Dr. Viresh Mahajan, Pediatric Cardiologist, Dr. Anil Bhan, Cardiac Surgeon, Dr Rajesh Sharma, Pediatric Intensivist. This was a stressful mission as some of the children had very complicated medical issues.  “There were some tense moments,”  said Jeannette Singh a registered nurse who accompanied the group.

In our three and a half years of existence, Three Rivers Kids Foundation has successfully helped 55 children. This is made possible through the kindness, hard work and dedication of many people in Guyana and Canada.  Three Rivers Kids Foundation would like to thank all those who helped to make this mission possible. In particular, we are grateful to Naresh Jairam  from Guyana who co-ordinated  the applications for passports, visas and tax exemption for the group. Sincere appreciation  to the Ministry of Health of Guyana for their financial contributions,  Taiwo Stuart –Worrell of Caribbean Airways, to all the families in Toronto who contributed and accommodated the patients and their companions and to everyone who helped to make this mission possible.

Three Rivers Kids Foundation is planning to take another group of children from Guyana to India in February 2010.

We need to inform relatives in Toronto that Three Rivers Kids Foundation cannot change visa status so that their relatives from Guyana can stay on in Canada nor can we obtain visitors’ visas to Canada.

Three Rivers Kids Foundation is making special arrangements to send Alvin to Max Hospital in New Delhi, India for life saving treatment. Please support this worthy cause and give Alvin a chance at living a normal life. This child among many others needs your help.

Please invite your family and friends to attend An Evening of Melodious Bhajans and Kirtans, to be held on Sunday, October 11th, 2009 at 3:00pm. Location: Vishnu Mandir – 8640 Yonge St., Richmond Hill, L4C 6Z4.

For additional information please contact:

Tara Balgobin: (416) 798-3591
Jeanette Singh: (905) 891-6149
Pt. Bhola Misir: (905) 470-1306
Dwarka Persaud: (519) 650-1337
Savi & Esar: (905) 513-0426

In May 2008 Three Rivers Kids Foundation of Ontario helped thirteen Guyanese patients attain much needed life saving medical treatment in India for various medical conditions. Eleven patients had open heart surgeries, one had a kidney transplant and one received treatment for congenital dislocation of the left hip.

The 11 cardiac patients suffered from various congenital abnormalities of the heart such as Tetraolgy of Fallot, Ventricular Septal Defect, Atrial Septal Defects and incompetent heart valves. There were also two patients who suffered from Rheumatic heart disease and required valve replacements. Some of the children had developed Pulmonary Artery Hypertension as a result of not being able to get the required treatment soon after birth. One child had severe Pulmonary Artery Hypertension, which made post operative recovery period longer. She had to remain in Intensive Care Unit for 8 days post operatively. Despite all the complications, the patients made incredible recovery.

All of the cardiac patients were diagnosed in January, 2008 during a free cardiac screening clinic which was conducted in Guyana by Dr. Viresh Mahajan, Paediatric Cardiologist from India. If it was not for this clinic, Farzeina Ali age 5 years, would not have received treatment. Farzeina was abandoned by her mother when she was one month old. This child is under the care of her grandmother. Farzeina was referred to Three Rivers Kids Foundation in 2006 with a diagnosis from Guyana of Truncus. Truncus is an abnormality of the heart which has to be treated soon after birth, otherwise the condition becomes inoperable. She was, therefore, considered inoperable. When Farzeina was examined by Dr. Mahajan in January 2008, he discovered that she was not a case of Truncus, rather she was suffering from Tetralogy of Fallot. This child was cyanotic (blue) most of the time. She could not eat, could not walk, has never attended school etc. After corrective heart surgery, Farzeina looks at the mirror frequently and examines her tongue and lips. She realizes that the colour of her face has changed. She talks about going to school, is eating well and has gained weight. Now Farzeina, and the other children in the group are healthy and are hoping to start school in September for the first time. “It is rewarding and remarkable to see the changes in these children daily.” They are adorable and so anxious to return home to their families to begin their new lives.

For the first time, Three Rivers Kids Foundation has taken an adult patient from Guyana to India for kidney transplant. Shoma Lalgie, age 22 years was suffering from complete renal failure. Her father, Bhagwandeen Lalgie donated one of his kidneys to his daughter. Both Shoma and her father have recovered well. The cost of the kidney transplant, including all preoperative testing and hospital stay and accommodation is US$15,000. Medications will cost about US$350 per month which Shoma will have to take for life. Jeanette Singh who was with the patient in India said, “It was the first time that I had to deal with this sort of illness. I have learnt a lot from the doctors here who were extremely helpful and never too busy to answer my questions”.

The group of 13 patients left Guyana on April 29th and returned on May 28th. The names of the children who benefited from this mission are Makhi Winfield 13months from Linden, Marissa Roopchand 18months from Cornedia Ida, Virendra Dookie 2 years from Tuschen, Jasmine Fredericks 5 years from Sophia, Breanna Hunte 5 years from Georgetown, Kaaran Orhandunte 4 years from Skeldon, Shiv Sooklall 6 years from Leguan, Bhanumatie Persaud, 10 years from Canal #1, Farzeina Ali 5 years from New Amsterdam, Marlon Reid 23 years from New Amsterdam, Shoma Lalgie 22years from Vreed-en-hoop, Beesham Singh 5 years Wakeanaam, and Suhkranie Victor. from Goed Fortune.

Below are some of their pictures:

The mothers who accompanied the children were very surprised by the caring attitudes of the doctors who were never too busy to answer their questions and explained every step of the treatment plan to them. To quote some of their remarks, “This is like a miracle, the doctors here are amazing.” This group of parents are very grateful to everyone who helped them.

Three Rivers Kids Foundation would like to thank the Cardiac team consisting of Dr. Viresh Mahajan, Dr. Anil Bhan, Dr Rajesh Sharma. Dr. Ramesh Kumar (Nephrologist) and all the other medical staff at Batra Hospital.

The total cost of the mission including the cost for all 13 surgeries, airfares for the patients and their companions, accommodation, food, medications that the children will have to take for 6 months is about US$150,000

Our sincere thanks to Taiwo Stuart-Worrell and Mr. De Flour of Caribbean Airways, The Canadian High Commissioner of Guyana, to the overseas relatives of the patients who contributed towards the cost treatment and all the hardworking volunteers from Toronto, Guyana and India.

Three Rivers Kids Foundation has many sick children on their waiting list. Our next mission is planned for February/March, 2009.Please help us to make this possible by making a donation today.

In two and a half years since their existence, Three Rivers Kids Foundation has successfully helped 46 patients, 42 from Guyana and 4 from India. The President of Three Rivers Kids Foundation, Jeanette Singh who is a registered nurse travels with the children to India and monitor their medical care. “I am in the operating room for long hours and many days to see our children surgeries. All the mothers accompanying their children want me to take photographs of their children’s hearts. This is where I feel comfortable and enjoy being with the patients before they get their general anesthesia and also be there when they regain consciousness.”

We are appealing to the relatives and friends of these children who live overseas to assist these children get the much needed medical treatment that they so desperately need by contributing towards their medical expenses and airfares.

Three Rivers Kids Foundation does not get any help from the Ministry of Health of Guyana, financial or otherwise, nor from the Guyanese government. We work extremely hard at holding fund raising events to help these children.

Some parents and relatives living abroad have expressed their willingness to help raise some funds, and as a result of numerous requests, a copy of the estimate of the cost of the surgery from the hospital in India has been sent to the parents.

The board members of Three Rivers Kids Foundation understands the stress that the parents of these children have to go through. We do our best to respond to all queries as quickly as possible. We ask for your patience if we cannot deal with your inquiry as quickly as we would like – bear in mind we are all volunteers with full time jobs and families to take care of.

The CIOG has been very instrumental in organizing this clinic by meeting with representatives from the Ministry of Health in Guyana and with the Georgetown Public Hospital. For this we are very greatful to the CIOG.

After the conclusion of the cardiac clinic, the selection was made for the next group of children to be treated in India. The goal of this clinic was to prioritize the seriousness of childrens’ medical conditions. By having a pediatric cardiologist performing the screening, we were able determine which children need immediate treatment and which children could wait until a later time.

Jeanette Singh had been adamant about this screening process, as in the past the diagnosis made in India is often very different the diagnosis made in Guyana. This screening clinic prevents these issues and facilitates the selection of children to recieve immediate treatment. Dr. Mahajan and Dr. Bahn also took a tour of the heart institute at the Georgetown Public Hospital with the intention of performing cardiac surgery if it was feasible to do so. These surgeries were all done free of charge, as Dr. Mahajan and Dr. Bahn donated their time. This free screening clinic also gave us the opportunity to assess the progress of all the children that Three Rivers Kids Foundation has taken to India for treatment in the past.

“Have a heart” — most of us have used this phrase at some point. But what do you do when that very heart stops working properly? Especially if you are only 23 months old, there is no treatment available in your homeland and your parents are too poor to afford treatment overseas? Leave everything to GOD perhaps. That is exactly what Varsha Cahtterpaul’s parents did. Three Rivers Kids Foundation of Toronto, Canada, in collaboration with the Central Islamic Organization of Guyana (CIOG) came like a blessing in their lives. Varsha, along with 8 other children flew from Guyana on June 28th/2007 to Max Devki Devi Heart and Vascular Institute in New Delhi, India for medical treatment.

Varsha celebrated her 2nd birthday on July 19th. The doctors have given Varsha and the 8 other children a unique gift: A new and healthy life.

Six of the nine children had open heart surgeries to correct serious heart defects. One child had neurosurgery to remove a glioma (tumor) from her right optic nerve in order to save her left vision. One child had 2 large Mesenchymal hamartomas (liver cysts) removed, and one child had a kidney biopsy done and is now receiving appropriate treatment for steroid induced nephritis.

Of the six cardiac cases, Varsha Chatterpaul was the most difficult. Varsha had regular bouts of blackouts and would turn blue frequently. She was suffering from severe left ventricular failure. Her condition was critical upon arrival to Delhi. She had to be put on life-support twenty four hours after arriving in Delhi, and had open heart surgery on July 2nd. Eight days following surgery, Varsha was able to take her first steps with help. Prior to surgery, she was unable to walk.

The 5 other children with cardiac problems were suffering from congenital abnormalities and their conditions were also critical. Ten days following surgeries, all the children were discharged from hospital in good health. “They will be able to play, run, go to school and do everything that a normal child does.” It’s a good feeling. This gives me immense satisfaction,” says Jeanette Singh, a Registered Nurse and President of Three Rivers Kids Foundation who accompanied the children to India. “I accompanied each child to the operating room and saw all the surgeries being performed.” “Giving innocent and poor children a chance to live normal lives, seeing them recuperate daily, and the smiles on their faces, is really an unforgettable experience. For me there is no better way to spend my vacation time from my regular job”, says Jeanette Singh

The children that we take from Guyana to India for open heart surgery are in poor medical conditions. They have enlarged hearts and their lungs do not function properly. As a result of this they suffer from constant colds and chest infections. This creates some surgical and post operative challenges, for example their incisions can take longer to heal. As a result, they are classed as very high risk surgeries. Most of them should have been treated during the first 6 months of life. The surgeries are done despite the risks involved because the only other choice these children have is to live a life that is of very poor quality. They cannot go to school, they cannot play and a simple thing such as a laugh is enough to make them tired and cyanosed (turn blue).

The child with the Mesenchymal harmartoma was diagnosed at age 5 months, but nothing was done for this child who is now over 3 years. The cysts were so large that they were causing pressure on the kidneys and other internal abdominal organs. This cyst would have rupture eventually if left untreated and this child could have died.

The names of the children who went on this life saving mission are: Marlon King (aged 4), Khemlall Persaud (aged 7), Trinity Leslie (aged 3), Shiraz Alli (aged 4), Lijanna James (aged 15 months), Varsha Chatterpaul (aged 2), Divanie Ramdeen (aged 3), Diana Persaud (aged 5), and Sarah Pasha (aged 3)

Eight children returned to Guyana to begin their new life on July, 26th/2007. One child is recuperating in London and will return to Guyana soon with her grandparents.

I would sincerely like to thank the wonderful team of doctors and nurses from Max Heart and Vascular institute in Delhi, especially Dr. Viresh Mahajan, (Paediatric Cardiologist), Dr Anil Bhan (Cardiac Surgeon), Dr. Rajesh Sharma (Paediatric Intensivist), Dr. Sandeep Vaishya (Neuro Surgeon), Dr. Meera Luttra (General Surgeon) and Dr. V.K.Aggarwall (Nephrologist). Special thanks to the nurses from the Intensive Care Unit and the High Dependency Unit. Dr. Mahajan and Dr. Sharma sacrificed their time off from the hospital and went beyond the call of duty to stay with our children during the critical post operative period. Dr. Mahajan arranged for all the blood that our children needed for surgery by sending an appeal over the radio station in Delhi asking for donors to come to the hospital and donate blood. The response was overwhelming.

The cost of the medical treatment for all 9 children was $30,608 CDN. The cost of the airfares for the children and their mothers were CDN $38,062. The total cost for the entire trip including accommodation in London and Delhi, transportation, food, medicines etc. was CDN$75,810. The parents contributed US$10,000 towards their own airfares, the Ministry of Health of Guyana contributed US$2,000 and CIOG contributed US$10,000.

It takes many hands and many hearts to accomplish a mission such as this. Three Rivers Kids Foundation is very grateful for the assistance and support of Br. Fazeel Ferouz and Fayann from CIOG, Tara Balgobin, Chris Mohan and Pat from Mapleleaf Wheel Chair Company, Richard Aziz from Shabnam Radio. Heartfelt thanks to our regular sponsors Dave Pahuja, Dr.Gavin Jagan and Indy Singh, each of whom sponsors a child from Guyana every year. Also, a special thank you to Geeta and family from England for their help in organizing accommodation and food for the group while in London. And finally, a sincere thank you to everyone who donated time and money towards this mission.