Dr. Devi Shetty is once again opening his heart to help those in need of life-saving surgery.

In the spirit of the season of giving, the renowned Indian cardiac surgeon announced he is donating 100 heart surgeries to patients in the Cayman Islands, other Caribbean countries, and Latin America. They will travel to India for the free procedure at Dr. Shetty’s cutting-edge flagship heart hospital in Bangalore.

The surgeries, targeted mainly at children, are to be carried out over the next year, with local officials in each region assisting with the screening process. In Cayman, local partners in Dr. Shetty’s innovative Health City Cayman Islands project, Gene Thompson and Harry Chandi, will co-ordinate arrangements.

“Heart surgery is one of the most expensive operations, and less than 10 percent of the world’s population can afford it,” said Dr. Shetty, who provides high-quality, low-cost medical care in India through his private health centers, Narayana Hrudayalaya Hospitals. “We are acutely aware of the economic crisis affecting the region, and its impact on the working class and poor. We would like to lend a helping hand, and assist those who need it most.”

The donation includes the surgery, meals, and accommodations for a patient and a family member. They will be met at the airport and accompanied throughout the process to ensure everything runs smoothly. Patients are expected to take care of the cost of air travel to and from India, but options are currently being explored to defray or eliminate these travel costs.

About two years ago, 4-year-old Leonisha Lofters from Cayman traveled to India with her mother, Sue Ellis, to undergo heart surgery. Leonisha was born with serious heart problems, and surgery was essential to prevent the need for a transplant in the future.

The flight to Bangalore, and other expenses, were covered by donations made to a fund spearheaded by Robert Hamaty, owner of Tortuga Rum Company. The child’s father, Leon Lofters, is the head baker at the company. Hamaty approached Dr. Shetty through his associates in Cayman, and the surgeon agreed to perform the life-saving operation for free.

Little Leonisha spent two months at the hospital in a private room shared with her mother, and today is faring well with a normally functioning heart. The family’s health insurance would not have covered the costs of the surgery. “It means so much,” said Mr. Lofters. “It is one of the best things that has happened in my life.”

Dr. Shetty and his team are hoping to repeat this success story for other heart patients in Cayman, and the region, by offering these free surgeries.

As a benchmark, the average cost for heart bypass surgery in the United States is well over $50,000, far beyond the means of uninsured impoverished families. In India, Dr. Shetty offers cutting-edge medical care at a fraction of what it costs in most other countries.

At the press Conference held on Friday (30) by Dr. Shetty and his local partners Gene Thompson and Harry Chandi, it was also announced that the first phase of the Health City, which includes a 140-bed hospital, has been delayed. The project developers had announced earlier they hoped to have had the hospital in operation by November next year but now the likely opening date will be in the early months of 2014.

The reason given was due to delays in the passing of regulations associated with overseas medical practitioners working in Cayman.

About Narayana Hrudayalaya Hospitals

Narayana Hrudayalaya Hospitals is a complex of private health centers located in southern India, and one of the largest healthcare providers in the country. Developed by renowned heart surgeon Dr. Devi Shetty, the facilities provide high-quality, high-volume, low-cost healthcare services. Dr. Shetty’s group operates 14 hospitals in 11 cities, with more than 5,000 beds, and aims to grow to 30,000 beds in the next five years in India.