The 11 heart patients who were in desperate need of over US$17,000 for travel expenses are on their way to India after First Lady Varshanie Singh successfully conducted emergency fundraising drives in Guyana, New York, Canada and the United Kingdom.

Singh who heads the charitable organization Kids First Fund was forced to take this action after assistance was reportedly turned down by the Ministry of Health.

A release from Kids First Fund said Singh, courtesy of Caribbean Airlines, flew to New York last Tuesday morning to raise US$17,534 to pay for the airline tickets for the 11 children needing urgent open heart surgery in India.

The emergency fundraising drive was successfully supported by the citizens of Guyana, New York, Canada and the UK and the target was met and passed last Thursday, the release said. In New York, a grand total of US$19,267 and Cdn$100 was raised, in Canada Cdn$200 was raised, in the UK