A six-month girl in a charity hospital here with serious heart disorder has died while arrangements were being finalised for live-saving surgery overseas.

But five others in the 'super-urgent' batch needing corrective operations will make the trip to the Penang Adventist Hospital on May 3 under a gift of life programme.

There will be nine more trips, each accompanied by mothers of patients, a local doctor and nurse, until October to save 45 lives.

The victims, from impoverished families, will pay nothing for the trips and treatment, which cost about US$5,000 each.

Rotary International, the government, Royal Air Cambodge, the hospital in the northern Malaysian island, join hands to make the unaffordable affordable to the families.

Rotary has set aside US$100,000 to cover the cost of 50 surgeries, the government had waved passport fees of US$150 each and the national airline has agreed provide free flights between Siem Reap, Phnom Pehn, Kuala Lumpur and return.

The hospital will take care of travel from Kuala Lumpur to Penang and back, board, lodging and other non-medical expenses.

The beneficiaries are from the Angkor Hospital here.

The hospital, founded by a Japanese photographer touched by the plight of young Cambodians whose lives could change with medical and health care, offers help for those who need it.

RAC’s Chief Operating Officer S. Murugesu, says of the airline’s decision to help: "In this instance, we feel inclined to play our role as a responsible corporate citizen as this is a truly deserving cause."

In Penang, the head of the hospital, Teddric J. Mohr praised the joint Cambodian-Malaysian airline for support as the main local sponsor.

The gift of life is now its second year.

It started with the Penang Adventist Hospital examining 29 children at the Angkor Hospital and selecting 19 as suitable for surgery.

Between April and October the following year, they were taken to Penang, successfully operated, and returned.

Recently, it sent another team, which screened 76 children between two months and 15 years, and selected 45 who could successfully undergo surgery.