Manas Area Benefit Outreach Society sponsors heart surgery for 17-year-old
Bishkek, May 7 /Kabar/. On May 2, Manas Area Benefit Outreach Society (MABOS) donated $1,015 to help pay for a patient's heart surgery at the National Cardiology and Therapy Center in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan. 376th Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs reports.
Bahtiyar Ashimali, the 17 year old boy who was the recipient of the funds was extremely thankful for the donation.
"I am grateful for your generosity. This means a lot to me and my family," he said.
"I cannot put into words how grateful I was to have the opportunity to give this gift on behalf of all the men and women who have given of their time and money to help MABOS," said Master Sgt. Brad Robbins, 376th Expeditionary Security Forces Squadron first sergeant. "It is a tremendous blessing to be the one who gets to stand there and give a gift of life to someone less fortunate than us. I am humbled by the experience and so proud of what MABOS does for the people who so graciously allow us to spend time in their country."
Robbins is deployed here from Mac Dill Air Force Base, Fla., and hopes to fund more surgeries in the future.
"I want to raise money for two more surgeries during my time here, making for a total of six for 2012," he said.
Each surgery costs approximately $560. Patients apply for humanitarian assistance and are also recommended by the doctors at the heart ward to receive donations for surgery.
Bahtiyar's father, Ashimal Isaev, expressed his thanks.
"I am appreciative of your generosity. This has helped our family more than you will ever know," he said. "It was much easier to come up with $180 for the surgery than the $1195 that was required for this particular surgery. Thank you."
The MABOS heart program was initiated in 2003 by James Carny, who lives in Bishkek and has a passion for helping Kyrgyz children. Carney established a partnership with a local surgeon, Dr. Samidin Shabraliv, who along with his staff, agreed to perform the surgeries that MABOS helps sponsor with no additional doctor's fees. He has performed 172 surgeries to date on children throughout his tenure.
