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Hole in the heart patient now aspires to be a nurse
Eight years after…
Not many of you may remember 10-year old Damali John, whose father was desperately pleading with the public for financial support to save the life of his youngest child.
Eighteen year old Damali Culbert
Damali resides with her parents and her two older siblings in Hopetown, West Coast Berbice.
She was diagnosed with Ventrical Septical Defect and Moderate to severe Aortic insufficiency in mid 2003.
This diagnosis was when Damali attempted to do an extraction of a tooth at school where nurses and doctors would usually visit.
There the dentist had refused to perform the extraction, telling her family that the child’s heartbeat was abnormal.
Following this, Damali continued to cry out for pains and this prompted her parents to immediately consult a doctor.
Diagnostics later revealed that the 10-year-old was born with a hole in her heart.
That year, her family was advised that she should be taken to Trinidad and Tobago immediately to undergo an open heart surgery, since failure to do so would result in her death.
The surgery which amounted to US$75,000 was financed by many organizations, including the Kids First Fund, which is run by former first lady Varshni Singh as well as the People’s National Congress Reform (PNC/R) and Hopetown Congregational Church among others.
Due to some arrears which were owed to the Hospital in Trinidad and Tobago by the Kid’s First Fund for previous and pending surgeries Damali was transferred to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Barbados, where her operation was successfully done by Doctor R. J Massey.
The Hopetown Secondary School student was said to be very “bright” with a promising potential.
Even after much suffering and hardship, as soon as Damali was healthy enough to return to school, she ‘pulled up her socks’ and was ready to aim for victory.
Two years ago Damali was preparing to write the Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) examinations and was being tutored by Marlon Fraser the Head Master of Fraser’s Educational Institute in Hope Town on the West Coast of Berbice.
She soon realized that her educational status was raised to a point where acing the exams seemed very possible.
Fraser noted that he saw much potential in Damali and that she was a very good student who always did well.
He also stated that the girl was one of the top students of Hopetown Secondary School and he knows she has a bright future ahead of her.
The young lady, who is now 18 years old, told this publication that the difficulties she faced in the past made her who she is and at the same time made her value her life as well as the lives of others.
Damali says that her tough journey made her want to become a nurse and she will work towards that goal as she wants to help the sick in whatever way she could.
The career oriented young lady says she is looking forward to a bright future even if she doesn’t get to fulfill her dream of being a nurse; and wants to make her family proud.
However she is currently employed at the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) and is leading a comfortable life.
Damali still experiences mild aches and pains at times but is more than contented with that, since she is able to do all that she wants and gets a chance to see the world and fulfill her dreams.
The proud father Culbert John wishes to thank everyone that contributed to his daughter’s treatment and recovery.
Kaieteur News understands that Damali is still under the medical radar so as to ensure she stays healthy and lead a normal life.
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