On September 23rd, 2005, President of Three Rivers Kids Foundation, Jeanette Singh, a Registered Nurse on this inaugural trip took 4 children from Guyana to Chennai, India for corrective heart surgery. Three Rivers Kids Foundation paid $12,000 USD which covered the total cost of all four surgeries. The Ministry of Health in Guyana paid for the airfares.
Anjani Pritipaul age 13 years had a PARTIAL COR-TRIATRIATUM, OSTIUM SECUNDUM ATRIAL SEPTAL DEFECT.
Casey Clifton 9 years suffered from a SUB AORTIC VENTRICULAR SEPTAL DEFECT (hole in the heart).
Preamadai Harrichand age 12 years had a SEVERE PULMONARY VALVULAR ATRESIA, SEVERE INFUNDIBULAR STENOSIS AND SEVERE FIBROTIC RIGHT VENTRICLE.
Romel Mohammed Hassan age 4.5 years had AORTIC STENOSIS.
The children were treated at The International Centre for Cardio Thoracic and Vascular Diseases in Chennai, India. Upon arrival on Saturday September 24th the children were admitted into hospital. Preoperative investigations started on Sunday September 25th and three children had their operations on September 27th. The other child had his surgery on September 30th.
All 4 children made quick recovery following their surgeries. Two days after their operation the children were walking around without help and were very cheerful. Ten days after surgery, the children were taken on a short shopping trip and also did some sightseeing. The children returned to Guyana on October 17th, all of them in very good health and a chance to live a normal life. Three Rivers Kids Foundation will also continue to monitor the children’s progress and supply them with their medications free of charge.
The reason that we chose India is because India offers world class medical care at a very attractive price and has no visa restrictions to access it. Open Heart surgery in North America can cost between $60,000 to $100,000 each. At this price we could barely afford to treat one child a year if we had to bring them to North America for treatment. In India it is possible to treat 25 children for $100,000. Guyana has hundreds of children who are in need of heart surgery. These children will be unable to live a normal life if they do not receive treatment.
In March 2006, Three Rivers Kids Foundation hopes to take 10 to 15 children to India for surgery. Please help us to make this possible and give the sick children of Guyana a chance to have normal lives. Guyana does not have the medical specialists, in particular there are no cardiologists or cardiac surgeons. These children depend on us because there is no one else to help them. Please make a donation. Tax deductible receipt will be issued. For more information please call Jeanette Singh at 905 891 6149.
We hope the day will come when no child will have to suffer, no child dies needlessly and when every child is healthy.
Three Rivers Kids Foundation and the four children would like to sincerely thank all those who contributed towards this mission including our Sept 2005 sponsor Bernardo Funeral Home.