Minister pledges $$$ help for twins’ corrective surgery

The Health Ministry last week promised $30,000 in financial assistance toward the medical expense for corrective surgery abroad for twin boys who were born with anal atresia (a congenital obstruction of the anal opening). Ruston and Leslie Sookoo received a pledge for the sum when they met with Health Minister John Rahael at the Ministry, Park Street, last Thursday.

In December, the Sookoos started the “touch our lives fund” at First Citizens Bank, account #1411327 with the aim of raising US$50,000 by next month. Leslie told Newsday that the fund has approximately TT$75,000. The boys, Johan and Tariq, were born on June 1 at Mt Hope Women’s Hospital and one day later  a colostomy (surgical procedure in which the end of large intestine was brought to the surface of the abdomen) was done. They have a stoma, a passage created in which the end of the bowel protrudes through the abdominal wall to allow stool and urine to pass. The waste matter is collected in a pouch.