Source: Samoa High Commission in Suva. Three children have returned to Samoa after undergoing life-saving heart surgeries in Suva, Fiji.
Supported by Sri Sathya Sai Sanjeevani Children’s Hospital Gift of Life surgical mission, the children all received free heart surgeries.
The surgeries were performed by the Hearts 4 Kids team from New Zealand and Australia, led by top Auckland surgeon, Dr Kirsten Finucane, a former head of Paediatric and Congenital Cardiac Surgery at Starship and Auckland Hospitals.
They carried out the surgeries during the hospital’s surgical mission held from 19 to 30 July 2025.
His Excellency, Ali’ioaiga Feturi Elisaia, High Commissioner of Samoa to Fiji was invited as special guest speaker at the ceremony hosted for the first group of discharge patients including baby Pesei Tauuso from Samoa.
Baby Pesei Tauuso is only 9 months old. The other two children from Samoa blessed with heart surgeries were Kiana Mata 3 years old and Uaita Tavita 10 years old.
Deputy High Commissioner Ms Belinda Filo-Tafunai provided morale support to the children who underwent sugeries and also their parents especially their moms who had travelled from Samoa.
After the successful operations on all three children from Samoa, H.E Aliioaiga Feturi Elsiaia together with his staff from the Samoa High Commission visited Island Accommodation where the children were staying with their parents.
The High Commissioner and his team presented gifts and monetary cards to the families.
They congratulated the parents on the children’s full recovery and wished them on their return to Samoa.
In total, 15 surgeries were carried out during the Hearts 4 Kids team who were on their third mission to Fiji.
The young patients ranged from just six months to 19 years old.
The surgeries were supported by the Pasifika Medical Association Group and local staff from CWM and Labasa Hospitals.
Dr Finucane expressed her admiration for the mothers of the children.
“They’ve worked so hard and overcome so much fear to get their children here. I deeply respect them,” said Dr Kirsten Finucane.
The Gift of Life ceremony celebrated not just the children being discharged, but the mission’s success.
The hospital, run by the Sai Prema Foundation Fiji, has now completed 394 free surgeries for children from Fiji, Samoa, Tuvalu, Tonga, Vanuatu, and Kiribati.
This was the 21st surgical mission conducted at the hospital which continues to bring hope to families across the Pacific.
The Sai Sanjeevani Children’s Hospital is the only facility in the region offering completely free paediatric cardiac surgeries, giving children a second chance at life.
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