Help for needy heart patients

Star: KUALA LUMPUR: Heart patients who are unable to afford treatment can seek aid from the National Heart Institute (IJN) Foundation.
Although the foundation has been in existence for 12 years, many people are not aware of it. It needs about RM1.5mil yearly.
Those eligible for assistance should be from the lower income group and are not government servants.
IJN Foundation manager Alawiyah Yussof said most donations came from corporate donors such as Yayasan Tenaga Nasional, which gave RM250,000 for 13 children this year, and Pfizer, which has contributed RM250,000 every year since 1999.
A member of the foundation’s board of trustees, Datin Julie Haniff, said: “The Patient Services Department of IJN will propose the names of the patients to the fund-raising committee that will evaluate and recommend cases to the board of trustees for approval.”
One heart patient who received aid from the foundation recently was Phang Jia Lok, eight, who was diagnosed with a hole in the lower chamber of his heart when he was 14 months old. He underwent surgery to correct the defect at IJN on Aug 21.
Jia Lok is the second of three children. His father Kok Meng works in a steel factory and his mother Lim Aiwai is a housewife.
IJN consultant paediatric cardiothoracic surgeon Dr Hew Chew Chin performed the RM18,000 surgery, which was fully borne by the foundation.
“Phang (Jia Lok) is one of 12 patients who benefited from the foundation this year,” Julie said.
“The foundation has spent a total of RM410,000 for patients up till July,” she added.
In 2006, the foundation funded 75 patients for surgery and follow-up treatment, amounting to about RM1.375mil, Julie said.
Those who wish to help the foundation may contact Alawiyah at 03- 2617 8315.