Ross rewards community organizations

Several community organizations making a difference across Barbados have received grants from the Ross University School of Medicine.

The donations were made to representatives of The Eden Lodge Youth Charitable Trust, the Ian Woosnam Type 1 Diabetes Registry, Rotary Club of Barbados South, Heart and Stroke Foundation, and the Myeloma Lymphoma and Leukemia Foundation.

Associate Dean of Medical Sciences Dr Rhonda McIntyre, who made the presentations on behalf of the University during a brief ceremony at Ross’ Lloyd Erskine Sandiford Centre home, said from helping children succeed to ensuring people have access to crucial healthcare services and information, the organizations were dedicated to making the community stronger and improving the lives of those they touch.

She said Ross’ partnership with community organizations has been a meaningful way for students to learn skills they cannot obtain in the classroom.

“As our students go on to be physicians in the United States, Canada and around the world, it is their work with you as community partners that helps to teach them the vital skill and importance of engaging with communities. This better enables them to serve the communities where they live and work and helps them see a world beyond the hospitals, research institutions, or medical offices. This experience is a crucial part of their education, and I want to thank the partners here today for helping to provide it,” Dr McIntyre said.

The grants presented formed part of a continued Caribbean wide effort by Adtalem Global Education, which operates Ross University School of Medicine, American University of the Caribbean School of Medicine in St Maarten, and Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine in St Kitts, to help support and foster crucial community work in the nations in which the schools are situated.

“We’ve chosen organizations whose missions align with and reflect our focus on healthcare, education and well-being. These organizations have a proven record of changing lives and positively impacting the community.  We’re honoured to be a part of that work,” the Associate Dean of Medical Sciences said.

Representatives of the organizations that received the grants said the funds would go a long way in executing programmes.

Chief Executive Officer of the Heart and Stroke Foundation Michelle Daniel said the money would be used to purchase key equipment for the Foundation’s Emergency Cardiac Care Training.

“It will also assist with our Cardiac Disease and Rehab Programme. There are some patients who we would like to support who may need the services of the programme but cannot necessarily be able to afford it,” Daniel said. (AH)