Decent Henry: Help our kidney patients

Dear Fellow Vincentians: Having been a kidney patient on dialysis for nearly 30 years now, it is with tremendous relief and great joy that I welcome the news from the Prime Minister that Dialysis treatment will soon become a reality in St. Vincent and the Grenadines.

Sadly, however, there are approximately eleven Kidney patients who are in immediate need of haemodialysis; in fact, some of them are currently traveling to neighboring Caribbean islands to receive this treatment, privately. {{more}}These patients will most certainly die without effective dialysis treatment. In view of the fact that their treatment is totally private, these patients incur inflated costs i.e. the treatment itself, airfare and accommodation.

Plight of patients

It is the plight of these patients that I wish to address by providing Dialysis treatment right here in St.Vincent and the Grenadines. To this effect, I have brought several machines from England, and I am pleased to report that I have personally dialysed Gregory Gerald of Byrea Hill and Mr. Patrick ‘Pay Pay’ of Layou on one of these machines, and the treatment they received was far more effective than what they are currently receiving in Barbados.

It is my wish that the Government will accept these machines as gifts on behalf of the people of St.Vincent and the Grenadines; and that in the not too distant future, these machines will be installed in hospitals/clinics throughout the island.

Evidently, dialysis treatment needs ongoing financial assistance; hence, this is the main purpose of my appeal to fellow Vincentians and well wishers. I am imploring the nation to donate generously to help our unfortunate brothers and sisters. It is my belief, that any individual, whoever he/she may be should have access to medial treatment regardless of cost.

Account number

The St.Vincent and the Grenadines’ Kidney Patients Association has already been established and accordingly, an account has been opened at the FCIB account number 0005710468. The clerks will be pleased to accept your decent donation. Other Vincentians in the Diaspora i.e. England, USA, Canada etc. have demonstrated their willingness to support this worthy cause; accordingly, accounts have been opened in the respective countries to accept donations.

Initially, the funds raised will be used for the following:

1. To locate a venue to perform dialysis

2. To employ a technician to install the machines

3. To train local people to operate the machines

4. To purchase

disposables essential for dialysis

In conclusion, I think it is appropriate to quote the famous words of President Kennedy; “Don’t ask what your country can do for you, but instead, what you can do for country.” Let us therefore give generously.

God bless

Decent Henry

decenthenry@aol.com

044-208-889-0916