SEVEN month old Rushane Evans’ chances of receiving life-saving heart surgery increased recently, but his family is still in desperate need of US$10,000 to keep him alive.

With the intervention of the Kingston and Pennsylvania Kiwanis Children’s Heart Programme, a US hospital has agreed to perform the surgery on March 29. The cost has also been cut, by 25 per cent, from the original US$40,000 price tag.

Under the programme, doctors from the Geisinger Heart Hospital in Pennsylvania waive their fees and the hospital charges a reduced rate of US$7,000. The additional US$3,000 covers travel expenses and incidentals while the family is in Pennsylvania.

“Doctors from Jamaica and Geisinger have already conferred, and transcripts of Rushane’s medical history have been sent to Geisinger,” said Pennsylvania district chairman for international relations of Kiwanis International, Roy Glick. “Surgery is scheduled for March 29; it is therefore imperative that all effort is made in Jamaica to raise the fund from its current standing to the US$10,000 level. The flight schedule for mother and child is tentatively set for March 18.”

The Observer first carried the story of Rushane’s plight in the February 3 edition; and while there have been responses from as far away as Italy, only about J$240,000 has been raised to date.

And as his family appeals to the public for support, they now have the added burden of fighting Rushane’s recent bout with pneumonia. The child was admitted to the Cornwall Regional Hospital on Tuesday and is expected to be there for about a week.

But even as Rushane battles pneumonia, preparations for his life saving surgery continue.

As soon as Geisinger hospital provides the necessary letters, Rex Fennell of Kiwanis Kingston will start the process of obtaining the necessary visas. He does not anticipate any problems as the programme has assisted 35 children over the years.

The only hurdle left in helping Rushane is raising the money. Interested persons may deposit funds to the Rushane Evans Trust Fund at the Bank of Nova Scotia’s Montego Bay branch. The account number is 90571. They may also contact Trust chairman, Barbara Nelson; Secretary Walter Heird; or Rushane’s mother Irma De Brown at:

The Rushane Evans Trust Fund

Poinciana Gardens, Porto Bello

PO Box 31, Montego Bay

Phone: 952-7122, 952-6796 or 940-5703

Fax: 940-0473.