ROTARY ASK FOR THE RETURN OF VITAL PEICE OF EQUIPEMENT FOR HEART CLINIC

August 25, 2006

The Rotary Club of Belize is offering a reward for the return of an echo cardiogram machine.  The machine was used during the recent visit of a cardiologist as part of the Rotary’s Gift of Life program. This morning we spoke with Rotary’s Yvette Burks,  

Yvette Burks:

“This week we conducted our semi-annual clinic and Dr. James Huhta, who is the cardiologist and this is his ninth visit to this country, was able to see 64 Belizean children and the equipment which is lost looks like a bulky old fashion silver lap top computer but its actually an echo-cardiogram machine. It stored the information on about four dozen or so Belizean children, who actually received echoes and this is the only data we have on the children who traveled from Punta Gorda, Big Creek, Corozal and across the whole country and of course in addition to that the cost of the machine itself is also a serious concern to us. Dr. Huhta traveled back to the states yesterday and realized the equipment was missing from his luggage when he arrived at his first destination. So we’re appealing to the public, please if somebody took it and didn’t realize what they had, it is not a regular lap top, you can’t get the internet on it, you can’t do anything on it. It’s of no use to anyone except a cardiologist and it can mean the difference between life and death for so many young Belizean patients.” 

Burks explains how the clinics work. Yvette Burks:

“Twice a year for children and sometimes extra time for adults, the Rotary Gift of Life Program hosts clinics and allow Belizean children from the entire country the opportunity to be seen by a pediatric cardiologist, who does assessments, diagnosis, prescribe medicine and decides who out of the group of children will require open heart surgery and of course with the networking of other Rotary groups and gift of Life throughout the states, we are then able to send the children up to the states for open heart surgery.” 

Yvette Burks of the rotary Club of Belize. Anyone who knows anything about the machine may call the office of the Belize Emergency Response Team at 2-2-3-3-2-9-2 anytime day or night. The machine may also be returned at the BERT office in Belize City. No questions will be asked and a reward will be given.

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