clarinews@clarinet.com (Kelly/cbc/standard broadcast news) (02/03/90)
(WINDSOR, Ontario) A Windsor, Ontario-area baby, waiting for heart surgery, has died this morning at Toronto's Hospital for Sick Children. Two-year-old Joel Bondy from Leamington was scheduled for surgery today after several delays. People fighting for better heart surgery services in southwestern Ontario are devastated. Lobby group Heartbeat Windsor says it will leave no stone un-turned to find out why the baby died. Bondy had been waiting for the surgery for months. Doctors have known since last summer that he needed the surgery to correct his heart defect. It was finally scheduled for this month, then delayed again until March. Then, lobby group Heartbeat Windsor arranged to have the surgery done in Detroit. Suddenly there was room at Toronto's Hospital for Sick Children. The operation was to take place this afternoon. Tragically, the baby died at three o'clock this morning.