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LIJ doctor repairs hearts of Mideast kids

By Adam Kramer

Fadi Shaat, sat at the table during the conference room at Long Island Jewish Hospital in New Hyde Park putting on and taking off his sunglasses and high-fiving his father as flash bulbs popped.

It seemed as if the smiling and gregarious 3-year-old — who was also taking pictures of his father and of the news conference last Thursday — was oblivious to his recent open heart surgery and all that was happening where he lives in the war-torn Middle East.

Shaat, Abdulraham Abumustafa, 2, Mohammed Abuharb, 9 months, and their parents, who are all from the Gaza Strip in Palestine, greeted the media and those who had helped get them to the United States after the children recently underwent life-saving open heart surgeries at LIJ to repair large holes in their hearts.

The children were brought to LIJ and Schneider Children’s Hospital as part of the Gift of Life Program, a worldwide Rotary International Service Program which helps needy children from all over the world have corrective heart surgery to give them a new lease on life.

Dr. Fredrick Bierman, director of pediatric cardiology services at the North Shore LIJ Health System, said the hospital learned about three children in Palestine who needed heart surgery from the Gift of Life Program.

“The diagnoses were confirmed and they underwent other testing as necessary and then Dr. Vincent Parnell performed surgery on all three children,” he said. “Each one of them had different problems. All three of them required surgery or their life expectancy would have been severely shortened.”

Parnell, chief of pediatric cardiothorasic surgery, operated on Shaat on March 16, Abumustafa on March 21 and Abuharb on March 26.

With the surgery, the three children are expected to lead a normal and healthy life and Bierman said he hoped they would come back to the hospital as old men to talk about their lives.

Dr. Fuad Kiblawi, the interpreter for the children’s parents — Mohammed Shaat, Nahed Abumustafa and Hanan Abuharb — said when the families return to their homes, they will celebrate with a party. In addition, they will be able to allow their children act and play as a normal healthy children.

Robert Donno, chairman of Gift of Life Inc., said his organization provides funding for the hospital, transportation for the family and care for children it brings to hospitals around the world for open heart surgery.

“In all of this global effort it only comes down to one thing and that is a plea for help,” he said, and Gift of Life’s ability to provide the necessary services to help children.

Donno also thanked a wide array of people who helped the three young children and their families from members at Temple Emmanuel in Great Neck, L.I. to LIJ to the local volunteers who picked up the families at the hospital to the Islamic Center of Westbury L.I.

“We are deeply grateful to all of the wonderful doctors, nurses and supportive staff at Schneider Children’s Hospital for providing excellent care for our children during their hospitalizations and for always treating us in a kind manner,” the families said in a written statement.

Reach reporter Adam Kramer by e-mail at Timesledgr@aol.com or call 229-0300, Ext. 157.