Shetty announces heart surgery giveaway
(CNS): The renowned Indian heart surgeon who is developing a health city in the Cayman Islands to serve the Caribbean and American region is offering 100 free heart surgeries to those in need as a way of introducing his health group to the people of this region ahead of the Cayman hospital opening next year. If patients can raise the money for a flight to India, then everything, including all of the accommodation costs and medical treatment, will be paid for by his medical group, Shetty said. The operations, which are targeted mostly for children, will be performed at the hospital in Bangalore.
From now and over the next twelve months, with the assistance of local medical officials in the region in identifying those in need, Shetty hopes to assist vulnerable people, such as children and young mothers. The giveaway is open to everyone in the region who needs surgery and Shetty’s Caymanian partners, Gene Thompson and Harry Chandi, will co-ordinate arrangements.
“Heart surgery is one of the most expensive operations, and less than 10 percent of the world’s population can afford it,” said Dr Shetty, “We are acutely aware of the economic crisis affecting the region, and its impact on the working class and poor. We would like to lend a helping hand and assist those who need it most.”
The donation includes the surgery, meals and accommodations for a patient and a family member. They will be met at the airport and accompanied throughout the process to ensure everything runs smoothly. Patients are expected to take care of the cost of air travel to and from India, but options are currently being explored to defray or eliminate these travel costs.
About two years ago, 4-year-old Leonisha Lofters from Cayman traveled to India with her mother to undergo heart surgery. Leonisha was born with serious heart problems and surgery was essential to prevent the need for a transplant in the future.
The flight to Bangalore and other expenses were covered by donations made to a fund spearheaded by Robert Hamaty, owner of Tortuga Rum Company, where Leonisha’s father is the head baker. Hamaty approached Dr Shetty through his associates in Cayman and the surgeon agreed to perform the life-saving operation for free.
She spent two months at the hospital with her mother, and today is faring well with a normally functioning heart. The family’s health insurance would not have covered the costs of the surgery. Dr Shetty and his team are hoping to repeat this success story for other heart patients in Cayman and the region by offering these free surgeries.
As a benchmark, the average cost for heart bypass surgery in the United States is well over $50,000, far beyond the means of uninsured impoverished families. In India, Dr Shetty offers cutting-edge medical care at a fraction of what it costs in most other countries.
Category: Health
It is the "The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel" come true!
It would be funny if this was not such a sad situation to find ourselves in currently. Having to be flown 1/2 way around the world for a free surgery because our laws and insurance companies do not provide enough protection for our humans on this side of the planet.
So what happens to patient #101 and 102 and 103 who are not giving proper protection and cover? Shame on you Cayman.
Does he give away free surgeries to his follow Indians? I really don't know and would like to hear an answer.
what I would like to know is not about the surgeries that are being performed, but how the organs are being accessed to do such transplants.
CNS can you verify if the new deal with shetty and the Cayman Government requires them to declare where and how they obtained any organs coming into the islands for medical transplants?
Thanks.
It’s a Hollywood movie in the making.
You mean Bollywood, right?
this is a business man he is not here to solve all of cayman problems! stop looking handouts , and teach your kids the power of ambition and hardwork,scholarships and other good things will follow.
You are talking BS…This man didn't just come here and set up shop..We gave 99 years and a monopoly to do so and you think my people don't deserve something in return other than heart surgery if they are lucky or unlucky enough to have a heart attack
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More UDP propaganda.
This is good.
Now I can finally afford to have a heart attack…
Me! Me! Pick me!
Oh my left hand going numb….must reach bag belt…,must call Shetty…must save world!
Sorry to get so juvenile…….but you are an idiot.
Why not spend your evening reading about the plight of our neighbors a few hundred miles east in Haiti.
Why don’t you go to Haiti and volunteer your time instead of posting on CNS? Oh right because you just talk $hit and don’t back it up…zzzzz
I hope this reaches kids and their parents who need this and would not have been able to avoid at all. Nothing is perhaps more dreadful to go through than not being able to avoid life saving surgery for your child. Wish there were more offers like this out there so people can get assistance that is greatly needed.
How about 100 jobs or 100 scholarships to Caymanians? We need college level education for our kids and jobs for our dying middle class.
Our hearts are broken but we don't need surgery! We need a hand up not a hand out! We are not for sale!
It would be helpful if you Caymanians would come up with a list of businesses that you think it would be good for foreigners to invest in on your island. If you don't want them to invest at all, just say so. The constant whining about investors not doing enough for you is pretty tiresome.
Why should Dr Shetty educate you? Get yourself on out there and get the education, then you can ask him to hire you. This entitlement culture is what is dragging Cayman down.
That's the problem nowadays – too many people with their hands out wanting everything free. Too many people think they are entitled to something for nothing – get out there and work for it like the rest of the world!
Lets' talk about free…free concessions from us the people of the Cayman Islands and in order to get anything back we need to have a heart attack…By the time I am ready to have one the freeness may be gone..But all jokes aside 100 heart attacks and 100 free surgeries in Cayman over the next hundred years of concessions. sounds like good deal to me.
Sorry ..no country in theworld gives away concession like Cayman expecting nothing in return.
What a selfish, selfish comment. Someone is offering help and you are saying not enough.