Talica Lewanikaria, a three-month-old from Fiji, and Ititaake Ereata, a 15-year-old from Kiribati, were honored during the recent Gift of Life ceremony at the Sri Sathya Sai Sanjeevani Children’s Hospital. Both children underwent critical heart surgeries on July 28 and July 30, respectively, as part of a program by the Hearts 4 Kids Foundation New Zealand, directed by Dr. Kirsten Finucane.
During the ceremony, Samoan High Commissioner Feturi Elisaia emphasized the significance of the occasion, stating that it was a time for celebration as they acknowledged the lives and futures of these young individuals from the Pacific region. He highlighted the collaborative effort of various medical teams involved, calling it a true representation of regionalism.
Elisaia remarked, “In my line of work, we talk a lot about regionalism, but this is true regionalism right here.”