Mercy Malaysia's Gift of Lift To Cambodian Children Heart Patients
(January 18, 2002)
PENANG, Thurs: The Malaysian Medical Relief Society (Mercy Malaysia), extended the gift
of lift to four Cambodian children suffering from heart ailments.
The volunteer medical relief organization sponsored return flight ticket worth
RM21, 847 to the children under the "Gift of Life 2001" 7th batch.
They were flown in from Siem Reap via Phnom Penh to Kuala Lumpur
and arrived in Penang this evening.
The children between aged 3 and 14, are diagnosed with Patent
Ductus Arteriosus, Ventriculur Septal Defect (hole in the heart) and Tetralogy
of Fallot (blue baby), are scheduled to undergo corrective heart surgeries at
the Penang Adventist Hospital (PAH).
They were accompanied by their caretakers, Dr Khol Chanbonamy and
nurse Koe Seyla and will undergo medical checkups tomorrow before undergoing surgery.
Mercy Malaysia president Dr Jemilah Mahmood said Mercy has a mission on Cambodia.
The objective is to give medical assistance to needy Cambodians and it decided to help
the children who are patients at Angkor Hospital in Siam Reap Province.
"Mercy has set up a Mercy Malaysian Medical Relief Centre in Cham province in Cambodia
and hopes that non-governmental organizations going there can make of the center. The
center has dormitory facilities outpatient clinic, operation theatre and ,obile clinics
serving some 1,000 people per visit," Jemilah added.
Mercy also runs a hospital in Kandaharm, Afghanistan which started operations this year,
and has set up a small medical unit at an island in Indonesia, she said after presenting
a cheque to PAH chief operating officer Mr Lee Pheng Cheong at its premises today.
She said, Mercy hopes to set up a Penang chapter soon and currently it has chapters in
seven states in the country with about 350 members.
The Gift of Life 2001 programme, a joint project between Rotary Club of Penang and
Penang Adventist Hospital, has benefited some 74 children.
They include 47 Cambodians, 20 Malaysians, six Indonesians and one Filipino who have
gained a new lease of life through heart surgery.
It is a programme for all eligible children from Asia.
Donations can be sent to The Rotaty Club of Penang, Gift of Life Account 2, c/o 7
Jalan Kelawai 10250 Penang or call the development coordinator Rachel Phoon at 04-2261133 ext 1259.
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