 Everybody’s
searching for a hero.
PRESS RELEASE: Wednesday 31 March 1999: One child escapes the resounding echo of NATO’s
bombs: Nikola Kolev, an eight-year-old boy from Skopje, New Macedonia, is in intensive
care at Great Ormond Street Children’s Hospital, recovering from a high-risk cardiac
operation. Nikola is the first child to be sponsored by The Greatest Love Fund.
  
People need somebody to look up to
When young Nikola Kolev, under the world-class care of
Dr. Philip Rees and his team, recovers from this crucial operation and if, when back in
Skopje, he can survive a possible retaliation by the Serbs, he will grow up knowing he is
the first child to be sponsored by a project that doesn’t recognise borders, creeds
or cultures and speaks in the universal language of children - the language of
peace.
I never found anyone who fulfilled my needs
Nikola’s "DISCHARGE SUMMARY" (From Great Ormond
Street Hospital)
He was initially admitted for cardiological assessment which demonstrated that he was in
sinus rhythm with no signs of heart failure, saturations 95% in air, and his chest was
clear. Echo and cardiac catheter showed a well-balanced complete artioventricular septal
defect of Rastelli type A with right venrticular hypertrophy. PA pressure was mean 66mmHg,
but there was very high flow with QpQs of >5:1, such that the pulmonary vascular
assistance was not as high as might be expected at 3.6 U/m. It was therefore felt this
would be acceptable for surgical correction as a high-risk case.
A lonely place to be
"POSTOPERATIVE COURSE"
He required five days on the intensive care unit as
his inotropic and ventilatory support was gradually weaned. His PA pressures settled out
at about 50% systemic and there were no pulmonary hypertensive crises. His ventricular
performance steadily improved on serial echo cardiography and he was well enough to be
extubated by Day 5. After returning to the ward he continued to make good progress with no
specific problems and was well enough to be discharged on post operative day 10.
And so I learned to depend on me.
Dr. Philip Rees
Consultant Paediatric Cardiologist
Dear Mr Lee Warner
Re: Nikola KOLEV
Thank you indeed for your support and help with this young lad. We are delighted that
things have gone well and smoothly and would expect him to continue to improve and
his heart to function in a very normal manner for the long term future.
We would hope to be able to help any further children that you are involved with in the
future.
With kind regards
Yours Sincerly
Dr Phillip G Rees
Consultant Paediatric Cardiologist
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