Cambodian girl released from Dominican Republic hospital after successful surgery

Phin Ken, and his daughter, Socheat Nha during the the Cambodian New Year Parade in Long Beach, Calif. on April 4, 2010. (Jeff Gritchen / Long Beach Press-Telegram)

Socheat, Hearts Without Boundaries sponsors expected in Long Beach Saturday

04/26/2010
By Greg Mellen, Staff Writer
Long Beach Press Telegram

At 11 a.m. Socheat Nha, the Cambodian toddler brought from her country for life-extending heart surgery, walked out of Children's Hospital in Santiago, Dominican Republic, into the Caribbean sunshine.

Just five days after a tricky 4-hour open heart procedure to patch a hole in her heart and repair an artery, the 3-year-old was pronounced fit to leave the hospital.

She will spend the rest of the week recuperating and, pending the outcome of an exam on Friday, is expected to fly back to Long Beach on Saturday.

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