Jacksonville, Florida, May 12, 2006 - Demonstrating that care, concern and compassion know no boundaries, American doctors in Jacksonville are providing world-class cardiac care to two boys from Afghanistan with a history of congenital heart defects, at no cost to their families. The heart specialists are part of the University of Florida (UF) Pediatric Cardiovascular Center, a joint program between Wolfson Children's Hospital and UF/Jacksonville.

The children, ages two and eight, arrived in Jacksonville on Thursday, April 27, 2006, accompanied by their fathers and an Afghan interpreter. On Friday, April 28, the children were evaluated by pediatric cardiologist Jose Ettedgui, MD, medical director of the University of Florida Pediatric Cardiovascular Center affiliated with Wolfson Children's Hospital.

Pediatric cardiovascular surgeon Eric Ceithaml, MD, performed a bidirectional Glenn shunt on two-year-old Azad Kofi on May 2, which was successful. Kofi has a single functioning ventricle and suffered from pulmonary stenosis, which has led to severely impaired oxygen levels. This is the first of two staged surgeries; Kofi will need to return in 18 to 24 months for the second stage. His baseline oxygen saturation levels prior to surgery were 60 to 65 percent, but immediately following the operation, they were 85 percent, a significant improvement in his quality of life.

Ceithaml and his partner, pediatric cardiovascular surgeon Robert Dabal, MD, performed a complete surgical repair on eight-year-old Tamim Sarwari on May 10. Sarwari was born with Tetralogy of Fallot (or blue heart defect), which caused chronic lack of circulation, creating clubbing of his fingers and swelling of his digits. Prior to surgery, his fingers and lips were blue. He is satisfactory condition and his oxygenation levels have risen from 75 percent before surgery to 100 percent. He is expected to live a normal life.

Each of the boys was born with severe heart defects, which in the U.S. would have been identified at birth and repaired during infancy.

Their journey to the U.S. is the result of an extraordinary, collaborative effort.

It began with Ronald Renuart, DO, a colonel with the Florida Army National Guard who was called to duty and sent to Afghanistan in October 2005. Renuart wanted to use his medical skills to help serve his country. His mission was to support more than 3,000 troops with Task Force Phoenix whose job was to train the Afghan National Army. He also was there to offer medical outreach to the local Afghan people, in part to earn goodwill toward the American people and promote the country's newly elected democratic government.

That's where Renuart met the children and their fathers.

"Both children had limited tolerance and were in critical need of heart repair," said Renuart. Formerly the chief of staff at Baptist Medical Center Beaches in Jacksonville Beach, Renuart wanted to find help for the boys at Wolfson Children's Hospital.

Renuart approached Hugh Greene, president and CEO of Baptist Health, who enthusiastically added his support. Expenses for the medical mission will be covered by "Patrons of the Hearts", an endowment which brings children from foreign countries to Jacksonville for cardiac care. "Patrons of the Hearts" is a partnership between Wolfson Children's Hospital, the University of Florida and Fogle Fine Art & Accessories.

Medical and surgical services have been donated by Wolfson Children's Hospital and University of Florida physicians Jose Ettedgui, MD, Eric Ceithaml, MD, and Robert Dabal, MD. The University of Florida Pediatric Cardiovascular Center is supported in part by the Florida Department of Health/Children's Medical Services. Dental services (including extractions, fillings and crowns) for Tamim Sarwari were donated by
Stephen Cochran, DMD, of Setzer and Cochran in Jacksonville.

The Afghan Children's Relief Fund paid for flights from Kabul, Afghanistan, to Frankfurt, Germany. Northwest Airlines donated flights from Frankfurt to Jacksonville for the two children, their fathers and an interpreter, who are staying at Ronald McDonald House in Jacksonville for approximately four to five weeks during treatment and recovery.

The typical cost of this level of cardiovascular care is more than $40,000 per child.

The boys, their fathers and their interpreter are expected to return to Afghanistan on May 31, 2006.

Click here to view more photographs of the boys and the health care team.