While some employees spent Valentine’s Day giving or receiving heart-shaped boxes of chocolate or flowers, Dr. Jayendra R. Sharma, Director of the Division of Pediatric Cardiology at Jamaica Hospital, spent his day with dozens of children whose hearts he has literally touched.
Dr. Sharma and his former and present pediatric cardiology patients, along with employees from the Department of OB/GYN and Cardiology, gathered for music, food, and games at the hospital’s first Pediatric Cardiology Reunion.
“The reunion was organized as a way to bring all of my patients together and present them with the opportunity to interact with each other and share their experiences,” said Dr. Sharma. “The event showed them that there are other children going through similar issues where they have to monitor their level of physical activity and watch their eating habits.”
Gina Alvarez, 18 years old, came from Ecuador eight years ago to have heart surgery. She spoke at the reunion and touched the hearts of all who were there.
“Dr. Sharma has been more than a doctor, he’s been a father figure and a friend to me,” she said. “He cares about me and how I’m doing in life. He always asks to see my report card and even helped me with one of my science projects.”
All invited children have had open heart surgery or catheter mediated interventions with devices for heart abnormalities and meet with Dr. Sharma for regular follow-up sessions, depending on their individual health.
“Life long follow-up is vital and extremely important to children with structural heart defects. We monitor them through adulthood and work with their adult cardiologist to anticipate any potential problems” explained Dr. Sharma.
Dr. Sharma and his staff treat eight to ten complex heart defects every year, in addition to numerous smaller structural defects of the heart, including atrial septal defect, ventricular septal defect, patent ductus arteriosus, and coarctation.
