Gift of Life, a Rotary sponsored organization and an international project of the Westbrook-Gorham Rotary Club, brought two children from the Republica Dominica to Maine on February 9 for heart operations.  We had the pleasure of meeting them on February 24.
 
Guests at our meeting were the two children, Cristal Espinosa and Yeremy Berroa, and their mothers, Ingri Beltre and Valentina Mateo. Accompanying them was Sarah Taylor and her niece Abby. Sarah is a member of the Gift of Life, and serves as a friend and interpreter, as the children and their mothers only speak Spanish. Sarah was instrumental in coordinating with members of the Rotary Club of Portland which worked with our club in obtaining warm clothing and boots as well as assisting in doctor and lab appointments.
 
Cristal and Yeremy had their hearts operated on by Dr. Reid Quinn at Maine Medical Center. Without these operations, Cristal and Yeremy would not have been expected to live beyond the age of 18.
 
Cristal’s operation was completed Friday February 13.  When we met her on the 24th, she was so happy and energetic that it was hard to believe that she had undergone major surgery the week before! Yeremy had a successful operation Friday February 28.  His mother shed tears of joy and immediately called her family in Republica Dominica and shared the wonderful results.
 
Thanks got out to Dr. Quinn and his wonderful team; Interpreters, who helped the mothers through all of this; Ronald MacDonald House, which opened its doors to these families; Rotarians, here in Maine, in Massachusetts, and in Republica Dominica.  All came together to give these children a chance for a long life.