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St Ann's Bay Hospital Pediatric Ward Grand Opening – The Making of For The Children Jamaica from Issa Trust Foundation on Vimeo.

June 2017, Ambassadors, Graham Russell and Russell Hitchcock, Air Supply, performed a benefit concert at Couples Sans Souci Resort from which $160,000 was raised. This money was integrated in a whopping $267,000 improvement project for the ward, which was officially opened on March 22, 2018, by Health Minister Dr. Christopher Tufton.

Extensive work was done on the ward and included the provision of new beds, cots, vital-sign monitors, piped medical gases, furniture for staff, patients and visitors, replacement of all windows, new curtain tracks and curtains, a central air-conditioning system, split air-conditioning units, fans, television sets, ventilators, and other critical infrastructural improvements, including the critical care nursery.

“I believe that how we care for each other reflects who we are as a nation; and how we care for children reflects the kind of future we’re going to have,” ITF Chairman Paul Issa shared. Wife of the Prime Minister, the Most Hon. Juliet Holness, says every Jamaican deserves good healthcare and should have access to first-rate health facilities.

Speaking at the opening of the renovated Pediatric Ward at the St. Ann’s Bay Regional Hospital in St. Ann on Marc Mrs. Holness said it is against that background that it is so commendable that the North East Regional Health Authority (NERHA) and the Issa Trust Foundation have joined together “to produce a world-class facility” for children.

“This phenomenal team has put together a world-class facility to ease the pain of children. You don’t find this kind of effort happening every day, which reinforces even more the need to appreciate this kind of love that has been meted out to our children and their parents,” she said.

Photos

Press Links

• https://www.jamaicaobserver.com/your-health-your-wealth/st-ann-8217-s-bay-hospital-8217-s-new-look-paediatric-ward_131156?profile=1213
• https://hospitalityjamaica.com/mark1.html
• https://jamaica-star.com/article/entertainment/20180327/funds-air-supply-concert-well-spent-refurbished-paediatric-ward-opens
• https://www.jamaicaobserver.com/latestnews/Govt_grateful_for_support_to_health_sector_Tufton?profile=1373
• https://jis.gov.jm/pms-wife-says-every-jamaican-deserves-good-healthcare/
• https://www.jamaicaobserver.com/article/20180318/ARTICLE/180319690

Air Supply toured the St. Ann’s Bay Hospital in 2015 and spoke with the children there, and saw firsthand the lack of basic facilities, which clinched their involvement. We’ve put information about the foundation on our website and social media; children are our future and they need to be taken care of,” acknowledged Russell. “We travel the world and see some heartbreaking things, people living under freeways, homeless children living on the streets. You can’t change everything, but you can change some things. This was an opportunity to raise money and for us it is all about helping where we can,” offers Graham.

In fact, over the three days of the Vision Clinics, 178 pairs of glasses were dispensed.

The clinics were held at Retreat Primary and Junior High School and the Oracabessa Primary School. Over the three days, comprehensive eye exams to test the health of each child’s eyes and whether they needed glasses to improve their vision were provided free of cost.

A total of 1,259 children received eye examinations.

According to the foundation, the mission team consisted of optometrists, a medical doctor, a licensed optician, and five volunteer technicians who assisted in eye examinations and in fitting the glasses.

“All the glasses provided were previously used glasses that had been collected, sorted, cleaned, measured and shipped from the United States to Jamaica,” the foundation said yesterday. “Lions uses a computer program to search for the best glasses that they have in their supply, closest to the child’s prescription needs.”

A clinic was held at Couples Sans Souci for the adult staff of that hotel and Couples Tower Isle, where 252 employees were seen and 177 received glasses, the foundation said.

Lions Clubs International, is said to be the largest service organisation in the world, with 1.4 million members from 210 countries.

A successful Vision Mission at Retreat Primary and Junior High, Oracabessa Primary School and Couples Resorts. An outstanding and compassionate team from Michigan Lions, Ambassadors, I Believe Initiative, Her Excellency Lady Allen, and volunteers impacted many lives the week of November 6th. In 4 days the team provided 1,511 eye exams, and dispensed 259 glasses at no cost. We were thankful for the partnerships to help the children succeed and do their very best.

The mission team consists of Optometrists, a Medical Doctor, a licensed Optician and five volunteer technicians that assist in examining the child’s eyes and in fitting the glasses.

The eye exams test the health of the child’s eyes and whether they need glasses to improve their vision.

All the glasses provided are previously used glasses that have been collected, sorted, cleaned, measured and shipped from the United States to Jamaica. Lions uses a computer program to search for the best glasses that they have in their supply, closest to the child’s prescription needs.

Lions Clubs International, is the largest service organization in the world with 1.4 million men and women members from 210 countries. There are hundreds more Lions members in Michigan, working weekly on collecting used glasses, sorting, cleaning, measuring, and entering them in a computer database and packaging for shipping. All the workers are volunteers and the glasses are provided free of charge.

We thank the schools for allowing their child to be a part of our Lions Clubs International/Issa Trust Foundation vision care mission.

Dr. Gary Anderson, Lions Club International – Past International Director
Diane Pollard, President & CEO Issa Trust Foundation