BASSETERRE, St. Kitts (July 6, 2016) -- Acting Chief Medical Officer (CMO), Dr Cameron Wilkinson who is also the Surgeon and Medical Chief of Staff of the Joseph N. France General Hospital, is thanking persons and organisations that would have partnered with the institution when he held fundraising concerts.
“Four years ago I started a fundraising concert at the Joseph N. France General Hospital to raise funds for the hospital,” said Dr Wilkinson. “This was done in collaboration with the students who access the institution for their education because I thought it was important for them to give back while contributing to a worthy cause.”
Dr Wilkinson made the remarks on Friday July 1, when he received a cheque of $5,000 from Ms Vernitha Maynard, Support Officer for Marketing at the Development Bank of St. Kitts and Nevis. The amount was the Development Bank’s contribution towards a fundraising concert that was held at the Marriott in June.
“I am very happy that the Development Bank came on as a sponsor from the very onset, and we have increased funds raised to this effort over the years,” said Dr Wilkinson. “Our first year we raised about $5,000, then we went to $20,000; $30,000 and this year through the commitment that your bank made to us, we were able to raise approximately $50,000.”
According to the Acting Chief Medical Officer, the funds raised this year will go towards buying defibrillators for the wards. He explained that a defibrillator is a machine where if for example one were to have an abnormal heart rhythm and where the heart started beating too rapidly it can be shocked back into a normal rhythm.
He noted that a defibrillator is one that could be life saving for a number of persons, and hence the need to have them installed. He added that they would also be buying a number of cardiac monitors to make sure that all of the beds in the recovery room and also all of the beds in the emergency room are outfitted with a cardiac monitor above them.
“Now, one may ask can $5,000 (in reference to the donation from the Development Bank) buy all these monitors?” posed Dr Wilkinson. “Of course no, but it is the collaborative effort of everyone who make this possible and that is why I want to say on record that I am very happy that the Development Bank has been with us as a partner from the onset and you continue to be a partner and I am pretty certain that many will benefit from the contribution that you have made to us.”
He had informed the Development Bank through its General Manager Mr Lenworth Harris in a communication in May that funds which have been raised since he started holding the concerts have been put into good use and all persons who use the health facilities in St. Kitts would have benefitted immensely.
“Your institution was one of our first sponsors and the funds were put to good use,” said Dr Wilkinson in his letter. “Some of the things I have done with the funds raised include: Repainting the ER and surgical ward; placing wall fans over most beds on the surgical ward; setting up an EKG department with state of the art EKG machines; ophthalmoscope and otoscope wall units for JNF, Mary Charles, Pogson and the Cardin Home.”
Development Bank’s Support Officer for Marketing, Ms Vernitha Maynard, said that the Development Bank was supportive of the fundraising efforts by Dr Wilkinson and the medical students who use the country’s health facilities for their training because in the end it is the people of St. Kitts and Nevis who stand to benefit when the health facilities are properly equipped.
“We at the Development Bank of St. Kitts and Nevis subscribe to the mantra that ‘The health of the nation is the wealth of the nation’ and Dr Wilkinson’s selfless efforts to raise funds for our premier health institution and other health facilities should be applauded and supported by all,” said Ms Maynard.
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