Saturday, February 12 2005 18:00 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

New Delhi: Thirteen-year-old Ayesha made the long journey from Lahore to Thiruvananthapuram down south a month back and is now returning home with the 'gift of life'.

The girl, suffering from a congenital heart disease, was successfully operated upon at the KIMS Hospital on January 26 free of cost under the Rotary International's 'Gift of Life' programme.

The thin girl, who was operated upon by a team of doctors led by Dr Madhav Naik at the hospital, is now completely cured of a hole in her heart, which she was born with and is now set to go back home.

"The treatment is available in Pakistan. But it is very expensive and being a Government servant, I could not afford it. My daughter has got a new life courtesy this sponsorship programme," M Shahbaz, father of the girl, told reporters in New Delhi today (Feb 12, 2005).

He said the surgery would have costed Rs four to five lakh in Pakistan.

"I am thankful to the doctors and the staff of the hospital who have taken such good care of my daughter," he said.

Ayesha, accompanied by her parents, had arrived in India a month back and spent 22 days in the hospital.

Dressed in a pink salwar kameez and flanked by her parents, she shyly responded in monosyllables to the questions put by the mediapersons, but managed a spontaneous "thank you" for her 'gift of life'.