BY NIC PRICE

A YOUNG PNG woman will return home free of a debilitating heart problem after receiving free surgery in Richmond, Victoria.

Elvin Kumuli was diagnosed with Fallot’s Tetralogy, a condition that left her gasping for breath after even the shortest exercise.

She could not walk more than 20 metres without discomfort because not enough blood could reach her lungs to get oxygen.

After open-heart surgery at Epworth Richmond earlier this month, she is now recovering.

“I’m eating and getting better,” she said. “I’m walking around the ward.”

Ms Kumuli and her mother, Linty, who has been sleeping on the floor by her bed, thanked cardiac surgeon Associate Professor Andrew Cochrane for his contribution.

Prof Cochrane said the surgery would make a “huge difference” to Ms Kumuli’s day-to-day life, as well as extending her life expectancy. Ms Kumuli and her mother were brought to Australia from their town of Goroka for four weeks by Children First Foundation, with backing from an anonymous donor.

Foundation executive director Moira Kelly said a life had been saved because of people’s generosity. Ms Kumuli’s surgery was the first of four free operations to be performed this year at Epworth, with other patients to arrive from Albania and the Philippines.

Photo: Elvin Kumuli with her mother, Linty, and associate Prof Andrew Cochrane [Emily Black]

Source: Melbourne Leader