In the frame of the ’Gift of Life’ program two girls living outside the borders of Hungary have been given a successful hear surgery at the Pediatric Clinic of the University of Szeged.

Successful surgeries

Mária Kovács (8) from Transylvania had a disease caused by a ruptured heart and muscle disorder. Vanda Buchok (9) is a Ukranian girl from Kárpátalja. She ought to have been operated on because she had had a serious heart-development disorder. The surgery could be performed not long ago due to financial problems with the help of ’Oft of Life’ program.

Time factor has a great significance in case of heart diseases. In case children do not get help on time it can be even fatal. The outcome of the heart surgery depends on the precise diagnosis and the optimal time of the surgery – said Márta Katona. The professor of the Pediatric Clinic added: at the beginning it was a difficulty how the children living outside the borders can be searched for but by now the program has become famous and it can put lots of physicians living abroad into momentum. The success of the program is demonstrated by the fact that at present five children are expecting operation.” The surgeries have been successful. The girls have already left the intensive-care unit; dependent on their cardiological state of being they could even go home now.”- she said. Girls are ahead of a totally normal way of life. Vanda has already left the hospital; Marika can return home in the near future- she added.

Eight children have been given help by now

Csaba Bereczki, assistant professor of the Pediatric Clinic said: they entered into this initiative but by now the program has grown itself out. Eight children have been helped at the Szeged Clinic who left the hospital in a proper state of health and have been feeling well since then. He added: the financial aid of the rotarists is very important from the perspective of the functioning of the Szeged child cardiology and heart surgery besides saving lives.

The rotarists created the financial support of the Gift of Life, thus helping the surgeries of ill children living inside and outside the borders of Hungary. The first three-year stage of the program was headed by the Budapest Tabán Club; from September of this year on, the Szeged Albert Szent-Györgyi Rotary Club is going to take over the program. “We are thankful for the trust and we are trying to meet the expectations. We, people from Szeged, have taken it over with great pleasure not only because Rotary is a caritative organization but also because several of us in the club was ’hosted’ by the Szeged Pediatric Clinic.” said Zoltán Havas, member of the Szeged Albert Szent-Györgyi Rotary Club.

Support of the Rotary Clubs

The two girls operated on in the Szeged Clinic are the 22nd and 23rd heart-operated participant of the program managed by the Budapest Tabán. During the work of three years 20 children were operated on in a lapse of one year- said Péter Sterk, representative of the Budapest Club. He added: it is not without a cause that the continuation of the program is given to the Szeged club. “We are giving over the program with good heart because we see it guaranteed that the initiative continues at the same if not a higher level.”-he said.

Debrecen Rotary Club gave part of the necessary financial support. They symbolically adopted the girl. Representative of the club, Zoltán Jenei, thanked the indispensable work of the professors and physicians and the financial support of the rotarists. ”We are raising our hat before the expertise, humanity and love of the professor and physicians. Let them continue their work with the blessing of God. We and our rotarist friends are seeking the opportunity as to where and how we can do and act something good.” he added.