Patients, doctors and families of cardiac sufferers will benefit from the Bermuda Heart Foundations Education and Resource Library, which opened yesterday.

The centre is on the third floor of King Edward VII Memorial Hospital (KEMH) and was funded by donations. Family members, in lieu of flowers, gave donations and some money was also willed to the organisation. At least two families donated a million dollars and several others amounts upwards of $100,000. Still others had fund raising drives.

Explaining the importance of the library, wellness director Dr. Marion Watlington said: "The public will now be able to look further into what is usually a quick bedside diagnosis. We also have a lending library of tapes and books, or they can be used on the premises."

The centre also boasts a conference room, where lectures can be carried out for patients, nurses and doctors.

Alex Anderson, the son of founder Romona Anderson, built a website for the Foundation that will be launched next Thursday.

"I have a day off each week from school where I do community service and I built the website on these days," he said.