After the massive screening camp held in Patna in September for children with congenital heart diseases (Read Breathing life into blue babies — October ’17) D 3250 have started sending child patients to Delhi for surgery at the Fortis Escorts Hospital. Back then at the camp, DG Vivek Kumar had assured that all children diagnosed for immediate surgery will be treated at the Delhi hospital within a year.
Over 300 child patients were screened by paediatric cardiologists from Fortis, Delhi, and 187 children were shortlisted for immediate surgery.
This life-saving endeavour is sponsored by Rotary’s Gift of Life (GoL) programme. The entire expenditure for the children’s treatment will be borne by the GoL trust. Three children — Rehan Nizam, Nitish Kumar and Golu — were admitted at the Fortis hospital. Corrective surgery was performed on Rehan on October 13, while Nitish and Golu will be treated a week later. They were initially identified by RC Mithila Dharbanga in the preliminary camp. The club members pooled in money and gave it to the parents of these children to meet incidental expenses while at Delhi.
By Diwali, Rehan was all set to begin a new life with a healthy heart. The club’s Facebook page had a post of him walking gingerly in the hospital corridor attracting several blessings and compliments for the district. Another one, of him holding a red gift pack and sporting a shy smile, had comments such as “Enjoy this Diwali with the new rhythm of your life…” and “God bless you Rehan beta.” The hospital management cheered the children with gift packs to celebrate Diwali.
Two more children will be sent to Fortis by the first week of November, says S P Bagaria, GoL’s State Coordinator and member of RC Giridih. “The hospital has assured to treat 50 children by end-December. The district will bear the travel expenses to Delhi for all children and their caregivers,” says DG Vivek Kumar.