This youngster takes his first walk on Tuesday after he underwent heart surgery less than 24 hours before, courtesy of the Jamaica Children's Heart Fund Incorporated. He is being assisted by nurses Pam Mori-Howell (left) and Belinda Adams-Dixon at the Universary Hospital of the West Indies. -Junior Dowie/Staff Photographer

Shelly-Ann Thompson, Freelance Writer

After waking up, two-year-old Danieldid not want to stay in bed. His cries echoed through the room of the Surgical Intensive Care Unit at the University Hospital of the West Indies in Papine, St. Andrew. He could not be kept down. Daniel leapt out of bed and raced through the room.

"Mommy, Mommy," he squealed. However, he was hugged and scooped up by a nurse who told him that everything would be all right.

Less than 24 hours before, on Monday, Daniel had completed a cardiac surgery to correct a hole in his heart.

Free heart surgery

He was the first of at least 10 children who will undergo heart surgery this week, free of cost, courtesy of the Jamaica Children's Heart Fund Incorporated (JCHF).

For the past 10 years, JCHF that consists of a team of doctors and nurses from the Joe DiMaggio Children's Hospital in Hollywood, Florida in the United States, has been flying into the island to perform the surgery, which would cost US$125,000 (J$8.4 million) per child, at no charge to the parents. To date they have assisted 109 children.

The 18-member team and the organisation's major corporate sponsors, Mayberry Investments and Apex Medical Centre raised $5 million to cover the long list of costs.

Dr. Gerald Lavandosky, one of the members, said that it is important that they keep doing the surgeries in Jamaica.

"We know the need continues to grow," said Dr. Lavandosky.

Statistics show that one per cent of all births will have a heart defect. Currently there are more than 300 children in the island on the waiting list for a heart surgery. At the same time, about 60 children are added annually to the list. Based on these statistics JCHF is hoping to have four trips this year, with a view of conducting at least 40 surgeries.

Gwen Grant, director and team coordinator of JCHF, is optimistic that this will be realised.

"Most of them when they don't get the surgery they wait and wait until they die," said Miss Grant.

The organisation is appealing to Jamaicans to assist them in raising the needed $4 million to bring the team back to the island to perform more surgeries.

Real name withheld.

To assist children with heart surgeries, you may donate funds to Bank of Nova Scotia account number 651031.