The Canadian savior of a number of children with critical heart ailments in Bohol and other parts of the country just died in Ottawa, Canada. The death of Dr. Kenneth Mackay Goodwin, president of the Gift Life in Canada, was a great loss to sick Filipino children needing heart surgery abroad but whose parents can never afford the cost. Philippine Gift of Life (PGL) President/Chief Executive Officer Francisca Baluyot said Goodwin had sponsored the free heart operations of several young patients from Bohol and other parts of the country in the past decade. The children underwent critical but successful heart surgeries at the Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto without cost to their parents.

Thru email, Goodwin’s wife Nicole, broke to Baluyot the news of the passing of her husband whom she described as “a dedicated humanitarian enjoying a remarkable life.” The sad news came while Baluyot is planning to go to Canada from the United States where she will attend the Gift of Life conference in New York, the global base of the foundation, in November. Baluyot and PGL chairman Dr. Ramie Cadag sent a joint message of condolences to the family of the kind doctor who “left in this world a much better place to live for those whose lives he had touched and inspired.” They said “the Filipino patients who were fortunate recipients of the free major heart surgeries in Canada under Dr. Goodwin’s watch as president of the Gift of Life - Canada and Rotary International District 7090 are also one in expressing their undying gratitude.”

Among the sick children endorsed by Baluyot to Goodwin for free heart surgeries in Canada were Maria Cristina Tongco from Cortes, Bohol in 2001 and Timothy Alwin Lopez from Valenzuela City in 2004. Lopez wrote and thanked them “for allowing yourselves to be used by God as His instruments of my healing. What a difference you have made in my life!” “I thank my God everytime I remember you,” the child wrote further, quoting the Holy Bible. Meanwhile, Baluyot is linking with American Fredric King of the Gift of Life in New York for the necessary second operation of child heart patient Stefanny Claire from Inabanga. King, a cousin of American talk show legend Larry King, is willing to sponsor the Boholana kid’s final surgery.

Once in New York in November, Baluyot will join the Gif of Life in celebrating life as a gift itself that the foundation has shared to already numerous heart patients in Bohol, the Philippines and other parts of the globe. The event will coincide with the observance of Thanksgiving Day, a US national holiday to give thanks for the blessing received during the year. Baluyot will meet with different groups who can assist in possible surgical-medical missions in Bohol next year, hopefully during the Tigum Bol-anon sa Tibuok Kalibutan (TBTK) in May. One major highlight in every TBTK is the honoring of the Ten Outstanding Boholanos Around the World ((TOBAW) who excel in different fields. Ironically, Baluyot has never been among the TOBAW awardees despite her lifetime humanitarian works that have saved already countless lives not just of fellow Boholanos.

Non-Boholano fellows in the cause have even generously regarded her as an icon in Philippine medical mission. Baluyot headed the Red Cross in Bohol before handling the Gift of Life in the country. She was instrumental to the latest Bohol series of surgical-medical-dental missions last July which benefited almost 11,000 individuals, including 21 operated heart patients The string of mercy works was collaborated by the provincial government under Gov. Edgar Chatto and Vice Gov. Concepcion Lim, PGL, Philippine Heart Foundation, Philippine Heart Center and US-based Home Reach Foundation, among others. (Ven rebo Arigo)