Tema, April 02, GNA - Perhaps an eleven-year old school girl at Tema would have had her life ended before knowing that she had been living with heart disease if she had not been pushed down by a school mate and rushed to the hospital.

Soon after Miss Gifty Amponsah of Redemption Valley School at Tema Community nine was hurt as a result of a fall in October 2005 and rushed to a hospital in Tema and referred to the Korle Bu hospital in Accra was diagnosed as having disease of "heart valves" which required immediate operation that would cost about 116 million cedis.

Subsequently, Mr. Joseph Korto, Assembly man of the "Low Cost" electoral area where the school is situated launched an appeal for financial support to enable her to go through an open hear surgery. Therefore, on Sunday the congregation of the Action Chapel Church in Tema presented a cheque for two million cedis towards the medical support of Gifty, who is to undergo an operation in two weeks. Making the presentation, the resident Pastor, Reverend Samuel Boadi-Dankwa said the gesture forms part of the church's social responsibility "as we look beyond the scope of our church which is our mandate."

Mr Korto received the cheque on behalf of Gifty and said other churches, establishments and individuals are responding favourably and appealed to others to come to her aid to enable her get treated on the schedule date.

An accompanying letter signed by Dr Lawrence A. Sereboe, Consultant Cardiothoracic Surgeon of the Korle Bu hospital said the Heart Foundation will off-set 50 percent of the operation. The letter said Gifty has "chest pains and inability to lie down and was diagnosed as having disease of the heart".