Rotary's Gift of Life's Legacy Comes Full Circle in Albany

ALBANY, NY (11/07/2008)(readMedia)-- The Rotary Club of Albany proudly welcomes the first ( Grace Agwaru ) and 10,000th ( Jonathan Olunga ) child to be saved by the Rotary based project Gift of Life. Grace, the first Gift of Life recipient who received her life-saving surgery in 1975, retraced the path she traveled 33 years ago from Uganda to New York. Today Jonathan will be accompanying her. On October 8th, Jonathan underwent successful open-heart surgery, becoming the Gift of Life's 10,000th miracle.

"For me it is a dream come true to be a part of the saving of Gift of Life's 10,000th child," said Grace Agwaru. "Thirty-three years ago I got my second chance at life and now thousands of other children are alive today because of Rotary and the Gift of Life program."

Gift of Life is a non-profit organization which is based upon the network of Rotary. Through this program, needy children with congenital heart defects receive life saving surgery regardless of their gender, creed, race, religion and national origin. There are currently 52 Gift of Life programs worldwide and one of them is here in Albany. The local program has been in place since 1985 and is tremendously proud of their record of saving the lives of over 170 children. In attendance at the press conference were several doctors who spoke about their involvement with the local Gift of Life program, which travels to the Dominican Republic each year to perform congenital heart surgery on children in the city of Santiago.

" These health care professionals, The Albany Gift of Life Pediatric Heart Group, are delighted to be able to provide world class health care (as well as teaching to the local professionals) for approximately 20-40 children per year in the comfort of their local community..... " said Dr. Melissa Ehlers, pediatric anesthesiologist at Albany Medical Center.

Also in attendance at the Rotary Club meeting was 14-month-old Michael Moise, another recipient of the "Gift of Life". When a local nurse met Michael in Haiti approximately 6 months ago, she was told that he would most likely suffer irreversible brain damage from the medical condition craniosynostosis (premature fusion of the bone plates in his head) without immediate surgery. Luckily, the local Albany based Gift of Life was willing to step "outside the box" in this instance and help cover the costs of this young man's travel to the US as well as funding for his hospital care.

To further promote awareness of this worthwhile charity, Grace and Jonathan are traveling to Gift of Life programs throughout the country thanking them for giving them and thousands like them the Gift of Life and a second chance at life. "Grace has been like a drop of kindness that has resonated throughout the world over these past 33 years. And today, while we celebrate the saving of Jonathan's life, we look to saving the next child and the next child....." said Rob Raylman, Executive Director, Gift of Life International.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION OR TO MAKE A DONATION CONTACT: Richard Hodge at Rhodge@Adelphia.net or 518-260-7236

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