Two babies, Kuan Eu Sheng of Penang and Eric Nicola from Indonesia, were among 43 children who had undergone free heart surgeries under the “Gift Of Life” programme organised by the Penang Adventist Hospital in Penang.

One-month-old Eu Sheng was operated on July 19, while three-month0old Eric from Tanjung Balai near Medan, was operated on July 24.

Last year, 15 children from Kampuchea, four Malaysians and two Indonesian children had undergone corrective heart surgeries at the hospital.

As for this year, the hospital has also done such surgeries on 11 Kampuchean children, six Malaysians, four Indonesians and one from the Philippines.

Penang Adventist heart and vascular centre manager Grace Lai said the hospital has also identified another 45 children from Kampuchea who needed open heart surgeries.

“Since the inception of the ‘Heart Patient’s Fund’ in 1988, 179 children have benefited from the the programme,” Lai added.

The “Gift Of Life” is a joint project between the Rotary Club of Penang and the Penang Adventist Hospital to enable children aged between one and 18 to receive free open heart surgeries at the hospital.

Initial funds for the operations were provided by Rotary Club of District 7250 in New York and the Rotary Club of Verrazano, both in the United States.

The public is welcome to contribute to the fund by making donations to the “Heart Patients’ Fund”, c/o Development Office, Penang Adventist Hospital, 456, Jalan Burmah, 10350, Penang.

Or, they can call Lai at 04-2263366 for further details.