Sereana Vatubua owes her health and vitality to the life-saving surgery facilitated by the Friends of Fiji Heart Foundation (FOFHF).
The 42-year-old, who was diagnosed with rheumatic heart disease (RHD) a few years ago, said her future prospects were looking bleak until she came across the FOFHF.
Ms Vatubua was one of 25 patients who underwent heart valve operations conducted by a team of medical specialists led by Dr Jonathon Tisch.
The FOFHF has committed more than $NZ20 million ($F26.6m) and performed in excess of 600 surgical procedures from when it was established in 2006.
And the best part is, none of the patients have paid a single penny, all of the operations were conducted free of charge.
The surgical procedures, including open-heart surgeries and pacemaker implantations, have literally helped save the lives of high-risk patients.
The recent Suva mission, which ended last week Friday, was a remarkable success with a team of 80 medical professionals performing 25 life-saving heart valve operations in just five days.
The profound impact of FOFHF’s work was evident, with over 70 per cent of patients treated being women, including future mothers and those who had barely survived childbirth.
The FOFHF’s comprehensive approach involved extensive preparation over six months and the logistics of transporting a diverse team that encompassed CPR instructors, pacemaker experts, and individuals deeply engaged with the local community.
FOFHF spokesperson Jasmeen Mohammed said the foundation’s overarching mission was to tackle heart disease through science, education, training, diagnosis, prevention, and treatment.
