Parents of hole-in-heart patient appeal for assistance

Takoradi, Oct. 27, GNA - The parents of Roberta Ama Essel, a hole-in-heart patient aged nine years have appealed for financial assistance from well-meaning individuals and institutions to enable their daughter to undergo a second heart surgery at the Korle Bu National Cardiothoracic Centre.

Little Essel's disease was diagnosed when she was two and a half years old and had already undergone the first heart surgery in 2000 on which her parents Mr. Essel, second-hand shoe dealer and his wife an iced water seller spent their total capital of almost five million cedis. Mrs Anna Essel, in tears, told the Ghana News Agency in Takoradi on Tuesday that doctors at the Centre said a second and final surgery would have to be performed on her daughter before the end of the year to save her life.

It was estimated that five thousand US dollars would be needed for the surgery, out of which three thousand US dollars had been realised from the Catholic Church, VALCO and the Ghana Commercial Bank. She is therefore appealing to philanthropists, religious and public organisations to donate the remaining amount of two thousand US dollars to enable her daughter to undergo the final surgery.

A medical report signed by Professor. K. Frempong-Boateng said little Roberta has "Tetraogy of Fallot with an Ostium Secundum Atrial Septal defect". She also has a right side aortic arch and has to undergo a second and final surgery to correct the defects.

Mrs Essel said donations could be made through the Western Regional Manager of the GNA, Takoradi and the Bishop of the Sekondi-Takoradi diocese of the Catholic Church.