WE ARE FOUR IN CUBA, ALL OF US WANT TO GO BACK HOME
DECEMBER 11th, 2012 -- Dear Brothers and Sisters of St. Kitts and Nevis:I thank God with all my heart for giving me the blessing of life, for another day, for the wounds of my extensive surgery healing little by little.
It’s the first time I am away from my two little children for so long, but thank you dear Lord because I know you are looking after them; they are more than happy with my pastor and his wife, their Nevisian grandparents.
My 3rd week in this controversial but brotherly country has just started. I am in Cuba. It is like in a dream, not as the student I used to be for 11 years, not at a Conference with colleagues or accompanying a patient, I am here as a CANCER PATIENT. That word that I hate so much because it took so many loved ones from me, that word that made me work to exhaustion to prevent the death of anybody, is in MY body.
I found a tiny little lump, did a mammogram and my wonderful medical colleagues in St. Kitts and Nevis confirmed my suspicions. I just had my surgery, that’s half the journey; I still need to go through Chemotherapy and Radiotherapy. I am waiting to hear details of the type of the cancer, the stage, the prognosis, but I know “God will make a way” (that’s my favorite hymn).
I believe with all my heart God will allow me to go home and see the beginning of each day looking at Nevis Peak and enjoy my sunsets. I know I will swim every Friday with the kids at Pinney’s or Oualie beach. God will make a way for me and we will continue working together.
On my second day in Cuba I found out that apart from me and Sharon Mills there are two other patients from our Federation; Ms. Imelda Hanley from McKnight, St. Kitts and Rubilette Chapman from Gingerland, Nevis. By the help of the Lord, Sharon, Imelda and I will be going home soon. Rubilette is here since January, 2012.
She had her surgery and chemotherapy. I learnt she couldn’t do the required radiotherapy because of lack of funds. She informed me that the government of Nevis and other social organizations have already helped her in different ways and for that she is very grateful. Rubilette has already spent all of what little savings she had as well as a bank loan she got from one of the local Banks on Nevis. She really needs the radiotherapy as soon as possible, to stem the spread of the disease to other parts of her body.
The hospital where she was first treated refused to treat her if the payments are not made, an understandable position, as this country is poor and they depend a lot on the revenue accrued from health tourism. We have managed to transfer Rubilette’s care to another hospital, where Sharon Mills and I are being treated and where they have been more flexible with the payment plan. This was achieved with a down payment with some money Rubilette had and some contribution from us here. Cancer treatment is extremely expensive.
Dear brothers and sisters, when I first called Rubilette my heart was so happy to hear her “What’s up Doc?”, “I am taking it easy, girl”. I really need to put my knowledge of Nevis “twang” to the test just to understand her! When I met her the following day, she greeted me with a great, “GI’ ME A BIG UP, DOC” (hugging hurts because of the surgical scars). Her contagious laugh makes me smile.
I never had the pleasure of meeting her in Nevis, but these days with her here are so pleasant, in spite all the disadvantage of her advanced cancer, she is the happiest, most positive person in the world. She makes us laugh all the time. WE CANNOT LEAVE ONE OF US HERE, SHE NEEDS US! She wants the chance to have all the treatment possible to prolong her life. As it is, none of us asked for cancer.
Now, more than ever, I understand the importance of Health Insurance. To be honest, I lost interest after losing my insurance with the collapse of British American. I didn’t apply for another one. It was the wonderful love of my life (my husband), who signed up for health insurance for our family a few years ago.
If it wasn’t for our insurance, I too would be in great financial trouble because I recently spent my savings buying the diagnostic machines, which I must say, have played a huge part in saving my life. My clinic just started offering mammogram service in Nevis this summer. My mammogram was only the 6th and the first positive one. An impersonal statistic for some, but this statistic has a name and a face, MINE.
I believe with all my heart, dear brothers and sisters, the spirit of giving will enter in each one of our hearts and we will help our sister Rubilette be home after a long 12 months in Cuba. She needs US$6,500 to complete her radiotherapy. It is not a lot if each of us gives 5, 10 or 50, whatever we can. I have negotiated with the accounts department at the hospital to accept payment by installment by Rubilette to be completed, hopefully, before the 10th of January 2013. I really believe WE CAN DO IT TOGETHER, as usual!
We are 4 here in Cuba, with the help of the Almighty God, the one and only Great Physician and all of you, soon all of us will be back home. Above all pray for us, we really need it.
Please, you can deposit your contributions to
THE NEVIS MATERNAL HEALTH FUND Bank of Nevis, ACCOUNT NUMBER: 219903
Contributions can be given to the following persons below:
Tracy Frazer of The Nevis Maternal Health Fund at Nevis Tourism Authority:
663: 4846or email nmfh@sisterisles.kn Vist Facebook Nevis Maternal Health Fund
Tracy Parris of Pink Lily at A-1 Technology : 664:3306
Love and God Bless,
Dr. Jessica Bardales-Essien
There will be a follow up story regarding Rubilette Chapman from Pink Lily
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