The Chain of Hope medical mission returned to Jamaica last week for a new round of its signature life saving surgeries, after a nearly two-year hiatus brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic.

With the approval of the Ministry of Health and Wellness, the team carried out its first medical mission in the island since January 2020, and mission leader Dr Alan Magee was elated to be back.

Speaking with Our Today, Magee, consultant paediatric cardiologist and honorary senior lecturer at the University of Southampton, described the opportunity to once again conduct a mission as “fantastic”.

“It is fantastic to be doing it again after two years… a fantastic opportunity,” he said as he was joined by Dr Sharonne Forrester, consultant cardiologist at the Bustamante Hospital for Children.

Forrester is also the lead local cardiologist for the mission and head of the Cardiology Department.

LONG-TERM MISSION TO PROVIDE QUALITY CARDIAC CARE WORLDWIDE

Visiting more than 30 countries since its inception in 1996, Chain of Hope has made it a long-term mission to ensure that all children across the world have access to quality cardiac care.

On Wednesday (November 10), Health Minister Dr Christopher Tufton officially welcomed the team to the island, alongside the grateful parents at the Paediatric Cardiac Unit at the Bustamante Hospital for Children.

The seven-member team departed the country on Friday after performing procedures on 11 children in need.

Among the medical professionals who made the trip to the island were a cardiologist, anesthesiologist, radiographer and nurses.

The medical procedures, conducted at no cost to the patients or their familes, have helped several children overcome life threatening heart conditions given them an opportunity to live normal lives.

Two parents were particularly ecstatic about the process after undergoing a tumultuous period over the last two years.

Oneika Gentles, the mother of one of the 11 children who were treated, was at first hesitant about allowing her child to undergo surgery.

“I never wanted to sign the paper but I made up my mind and do it and I am grateful,” Gentles said. “She came to the hospital this morning, admitted about nine o’clock and come out of operation after 10 and she is already awake. Yeah, she is up now and alright and doing pretty good,” the mother shared.

Both her daughters received corrective procedures and were up and about only a few hours after undergoing surgery.

Magee shared that heart disease in children is more common than one may think, with congenital heart disease being among the most common concerns.

As he spoke about his joy at being able to get back to work, he noted that some of the children had been waiting to undergo procedures but were forced to cope with the delay caused by the pandemic.

Forrester was equally happy to see the Chain of Hope mission’s return.

This time around, she noted, the mission was focused on target capitalisation which she described as non-surgical procedures.

“Target capitalisation are non-surgical procedures where we check through intervention on children who otherwise would have done surgery. We call it a keyhole precision, as they don’t end up with scars,” she said.

“They spend less time in hospitals, less time in bed.”

Most of the children were treated in the catheter lab which opened in November of 2018.

Addressing the prognosis for the children, Magee said: “Some of the children with more complicated problems do require repeated operations. But for a large number of kids you can do something that can be life-changing in one procedure. The prognosis for those kids is extremely good.”

Both doctors lauded the partnership between Chain of Hope and the Bustamante Hospital for Children.

Forrester noted that the mission has played a very significant role, as it brings medical experts into the country who perform alongside the local medical team on the island. In the process, knowledge is transferred, well-needed support is provided and important equipment required for the different cases is transported.

Magee underscored that skills are transferred, in the process aiding the local team in being more independent in handling future cases.

Non-governmental agencies such as the Gift of Life International and Rotary Clubs International have partnered with the cause over the years.

READ: Parents overjoyed, filled with hope after children’s heart procedures