KATHRYN Edmunds, long-time Bellingen resident who works in Coffs Harbour, is recently back from a life-changing event in Fiji.

She attended the opening of the first Sai Sanjeevani Children’s Heart Hospital to be established outside of India, which provides surgery predominantly for children suffering from Congenital Heart Disease.

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The hospital will provide free surgeries and care to children across the South Pacific.

Having had a 30-plus-year involvement in the Sri Sathya Sai organisation in India, which is a service organisation with a spiritual foundation of oneness, and with Health in Kind, an Australian not-for-profit charity, Kathryn was invited to Fiji for the opening of the hospital.

“The organisation focuses on establishing state-of-the-art health care and education facilities, free of charge throughout India,” Kathryn told News Of The Area.

“And Health in Kind has partnered with the Sai Prema Foundation of Fiji to collaborate and assist with the initial development and the ongoing running of the hospital.

The Hospital’s Director Mr Sumeet Tappoo said at the opening, “Children will no longer have to go overseas for treatment, which is now available at their doorstep, and most importantly, this hospital does not have a billing counter and will never have it.

“As the hospital opens, it has a three-pronged approach and a five-point vision – to serve the children with compassionate health care, free of cost, to ultimately have our own surgeons and medical professionals to be based at this hospital, early screening programs, implement genetic study and research and engage leading healthcare professionals from around the world,” he said.

Kathryn stayed in Fiji for three weeks for the official opening day and then to observe a surgical team that arrived from America and over a two-week period completed 30 lifesaving heart surgeries on children, the youngest being seven weeks and the oldest 14 years.

It has been planned that surgical teams from Australia, UK, India, and NZ will also visit the hospital to perform surgeries in the future.

After seeing first-hand the Children’s Hospital and the lifesaving surgeries performed, Kathryn was determined to return to Australia and raise funds to help ensure this lifesaving, life-changing facility operates for many decades to come.

“I am aware that most people have their own preferred charities, and a lot has been asked of our community recently with fires and floods predominant in our area, however my heart went out to these little ones,” she said.

“Three thousand children are born every year with congenital heart disease within Fiji and the Pacific region, and most do not reach adulthood due to lack of access and affordability.

“It seems like a small ask to help our Pacific neighbours.”

Initially Kathryn urged family and friends to donate, however given that each surgery costs $13,000, she is now brainstorming ideas to raise additional funds.

“I recently emailed 35 schools in the Coffs Harbour and Bellingen regions inviting them to become involved in what I labelled ‘A Combined Effort of Kindness’ campaign asking each school if they would hold a fund-raising event at some time throughout the year.

“I am also considering trivia nights and a GoFundMe platform in the future,” she said.

For those wanting to donate directly to the hospital, Health in Kind is a not-for-profit charity and donations of more than $2 are tax deductible.

Everyone involved in Health In Kind are volunteers and all money is sent directly to the hospital.

See: https://healthinkind.org.au/fiji-hospital/

“Recently I was thinking that with over 90,000 people living in the Coffs Harbour and Bellingen region, if everyone donated $1 then seven children would be able to have the surgery.

“Seven lives saved in real time,” she said.

For further information phone Kathryn Edmunds on 0403 197 703.

“I’m happy to come and talk with local organisations regarding my involvement in the hospital and experience while in Fiji,” she said.

By Andrea FERRARI