VOA标准英语2009-Kenyan Man Helps Children with Heart Defects

By Cathy Majtenyi
Nairobi
12 November 2009
Doctors estimate that more than 10,000 babies are born with a heart defect each year in Kenya. For most poor children and their families, life-saving operations are too expensive or unavailable. In this edition of VOA's "Making a Difference" series, we meet a man who helps poor children and their families to get the surgeries they need. To children undergoing life-saving heart surgery at Mater Hospital in Kenya's capital, Peter Kamau is a guardian¹ angel.

 
Peter Kamau with a patient
To Mater Hospital management, Kamau is the key to a viable², self-sufficient program for congenital heart defects. 
 
Peter Kamau is executive chairman of Take Heart Association Project Kenya, which he formed in 1992.

The organization arranges for low-income Kenyan children and young adults to undergo heart surgery in Kenya, India, Italy and the United States.

"When the family has no hope, they have no faith that the child will be well, and when they see the child is recovering and becoming better, I feel very much happy," he said.

Kamau's passion for helping³ children with heart disease began 20 years ago, when his daughter Veronicah was diagnosed with rheumatic heart disease. Then a tour guide operator, Kamau was advised to take Veronicah to India for specialized⁴ treatment.

 
Peter Kamau
"When she came from theater, then to the ICU, then to the ward⁵, we were chatting together, because I was happy and we were praying together with the other Indian community, and I felt great. I said, now we are going back home," he recalled.

But Veronicah died a few days later from a kidney infection.

Kamau's assistance to others who were in his situation began naturally.
 
"I knew a doctor in Kenyatta National Hospital," he added. "He was my good friend. He was the one who was calling me and telling me that, 'I have a patient and this patient would require surgery overseas. Can you come and talk to him?' So I used to go and meet with them and share with them."

Kamau eventually decided⁶ to help heart patients full-time⁷. Four years ago, Kamau arranged for a team of doctors from the United States to come to Mater Hospital to perform surgeries on poor children. The team is in the process of helping the hospital to develop a self-sufficient congenital heart defects program.

Take Heart Association Project Kenya also gives out free heart medication to low-income patients. Those from out of town stay at Kamau's house while receiving treatment.

Since 1992, Take Heart Association Project Kenya has helped 86 children to receive life-saving surgeries.

1 guardian   

n.监护人；守卫者，保护者

参考例句：

• The form must be signed by the child's parents or guardian. 这张表格须由孩子的家长或监护人签字。
• The press is a guardian of the public weal. 报刊是公共福利的卫护者。

2 viable   

adj.可行的，切实可行的，能活下去的

参考例句：

• The scheme is economically viable.这个计划从经济效益来看是可行的。
• The economy of the country is not viable.这个国家经济是难以维持的。

3 helping   

n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的，辅助的

参考例句：

• The poor children regularly pony up for a second helping of my hamburger. 那些可怜的孩子们总是要求我把我的汉堡包再给他们一份。
• By doing this, they may at times be helping to restore competition. 这样一来, 他在某些时候,有助于竞争的加强。

4 specialized   

adj.专门的，专业化的

参考例句：

• There are many specialized agencies in the United Nations.联合国有许多专门机构。
• These tools are very specialized.这些是专用工具。

5 ward   

n.守卫，监护，病房，行政区，由监护人或法院保护的人（尤指儿童）；vt.守护，躲开

参考例句：

• The hospital has a medical ward and a surgical ward.这家医院有内科病房和外科病房。
• During the evening picnic,I'll carry a torch to ward off the bugs.傍晚野餐时，我要点根火把，抵挡蚊虫。

6 decided   

adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的

参考例句：

• This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
• There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。

7 full-time   

adj.满工作日的或工作周的，全时间的

参考例句：

• A full-time job may be too much for her.全天工作她恐怕吃不消。
• I don't know how she copes with looking after her family and doing a full-time job.既要照顾家庭又要全天工作，我不知道她是如何对付的。