South Florida’s Jamaican Children’s Heart Fund (JCHF) gets a boost from Jamaica’s Rotary Club
HOLLYWOOD – The Jamaican Children’s Heart Fund(JCHF), a pediatric open heart surgical and clinic team from Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital(JDCH), with volunteers from Shands Children’s Hospital, embarked on their 2009 mission to Jamaica on April 24th to May 2nd.
The mission was funded by Rotary Gift of Life Districts 6960 & 7020 Florida, Air Jamaica, Island Car Rental, Grace Kennedy LTD, Dr. Christer Jonmarker(Seattle Children’s Hospital), Pat Montague-Princess PM Productions, along with the generous support of Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital, Jamaica Red Cross, South Florida Caribbean News, Rotary Club of Kingston East & Port Royal and Rotary Club of New Kingston and various donors.
On this mission 9 children received successful life saving open heart surgery from ages 2 months to 14 years old. Rotary Gift of Life President Steve Agius, joined the mission in Jamaica, which afforded him the opportunity to meet the recipients and their families, while viewing the JCHF team at work. Mr. Agius also expounded on the work Dr. Richard Perryman, JCHF Cardiothoracic Surgeon & Chairman has done over the past 7 years to assist the Rotary Gift of Life program in Florida, resulting in him being honored with one of the highest Rotary awards, the Paul Harris Fellow in 2008.
Dr. Perryman and JCHF Surgical Team in the UHWI Operating Room
Additionally, the JCHF Clinic Team was able to screen 77 children in St Ann’s Bay, for congenital heart defects under the sponsorship of Sunset Jamaica Grand, Ocho Rios. An additional 80 children were screened in Kingston, from Maxfield Park Children’s Home, Marigold Children’s Home and God’s Way Basic School, at the Jamaica Red Cross. This resulted in the referral of I child for a heart catheterization and another for a CAT Scan of the brain.
Michael Maymi Pediatric Intensive Care Nurse with baby Isabelle (4 1/2 mos old) after surgery
Over the past 13 years the JCHF Team has remained passionate and committed to serving the needs of children. To date 172 children have benefited from this life saving open heart surgery. JCHF continues to appeal for support of this ongoing effort to assist needy children.
Dr Lavandosky with Clinic patients
The Jamaican Children’s Heart Fund is a 501c3 medical charity, which means all donations are tax deductible. For more information on how you can assist this effort, please visit JCHF’s website at WWW.JAMAICANCHILDRENSHEARTFUND.ORG, Email: [email protected] or contact 305-218-0756(USA) 876-614-3532(JAM).
