Despite losing her mother over a year ago and undergoing heart surgery, Sanaa Shabeehah Ali is a fighter.
These were the sentiments of her father, Ilshad Ali, after Sanaa, 11, was discharged from the Sai Sanjeevani Children’s Heart Hospital in Nasese, Suva on Tuesday.
Mr Ali said four years ago he took Sanaa to the Nadi Hospital, where after numerous check-ups by doctors, he was told his daughter had a hole in her heart.
He said his little Sanaa was brave.
“She was not scared, in fact she would access Google and search information about her surgery,” Mr Ali said.
“I’m also happy and grateful that her elder sister stayed with her in the hospital — taking care of Sanaa — since her mother is not around any more.”
He shared some challenges his family faced especially during the COVID-19 pandemic when there were no overseas doctors coming in to Fiji to conduct heart surgeries.
“During COVID-19 there were no doctors coming into the country because they had closed off the international borders.
“But when everything was going back to normal and the borders opened up again, Sanaa came in for check-up at this hospital and then she was confirmed for surgery in January 2023.
“I feel good today (Tuesday) because I know this was all God’s hands that the operation was successful.”
He acknowledged the hardworking 20-member surgical team from Mumbai, India, who have been conducting free open-heart surgeries for children over the past three weeks in Fiji.
“I would like to thank the Sai Prema Foundation for providing great service from the first day until my daughter was discharged.
“I also thank the doctors for giving a second chance to my daughter and other children as well.”
He said Sanaa would be returning to school after she recovered from her surgery.
Mr Ali urged parents and guardians to have their children screened at the Sai Sanjeevani Children’s Heart Hospital to reduce the chances of their children dying early from congenital heart disease.
