Heart surgery gives 14 Tongans a new lease on life

"Thank God! I am so lucky," said To'imoana Taufateau (50), recovering this week from open-heart surgery performed at Tonga's Vaiola Hospital. His was one of the emotionally-charged comments made by some of the 14 Tongan heart patients who are recovering from their heart operations performed by a team of specialist surgeons and support staff from Australia, who worked day and night - and even through Sunday's 7.1 earthquake - to treat as many patients as possible during their visit.