A hearty life for two kids

Ashlin Antony, Anna Maria By Faris Arakkal ANNA Maria and Ashlin Antony now carry a healthy heart. They can walk, dance and play like their friends without the fear of getting sick again. Maria and Ashlin recently underwent heart surgery arranged by Trichur Heart Foundation and their parents have no anxiety about their children now. Four-year-old Ashlin was born with a bent in his leg and the heart disease added gloom to his life. But Trichur Heart Foundation's initiative of free heart surgery brought colours to Ashlin's life. Doctor found Ashlin's heart with a defect and immediate intra-cardiac surgery was performed. Anna Maria, four years old, also was born with a heart defect. "A small hole in the heart of a baby would not be a sign of complex disease," said doctors who had examined Maria then. But subsequently, she got fever and cough frequently and she became thin and fragile. Later, it was found that Maria had a sick heart. Joby, Maria's father, went to Bangalore for her treatment, but she had been on the waiting list for five years for surgery. No sooner he heard of Trichur Heart Foundation than he registered her name at the foundation. Maria was operated upon in January and Ashlin in June. They were the first children to have the surgery under the 'Save a Child' scheme by Trichur Heart Foundation. The scheme offers free heart surgery to children below the age of 16. Dr Sudheer M Bhatt, who carried out the surgery, has assured hearty life for the children. Now, both the families are happy and thankful to the foundation. Recently, Ashlin and Maria planted saplings on the premises of the institution in honour of the foundation.