In their pursuit to live a relatively normal life, Barbadians suffering from Lupus, Sickle Cell and Arthritis have been benefiting from the tremendous and selfless assistance provided to them by the Hope Foundation.
However, the 30-year-old non-governmental organisation has been faced with significant financial challenges in recent years that have threatened its very existence.
Like many other charitable organisations and businesses, the Foundation’s financial position has been severely impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, which has made it difficult for them to carry out their various initiatives and programs, all of which are geared towards assisting Lupus, Sickle Cell and Arthritis sufferers manage
their conditions.
In response to this challenge, the Foundation this year launched “Keeping Hope Alive – 30 for 30”, inviting Corporate Barbados and the general public to donate at least $1 for each of the foundation’s 30 years of existence, in an effort to ensure it can continue to provide support to the many Barbadians affected by these illnesses.
Sagicor recently showcased its commitment to assisting the Foundation by making a significant donation to the fund-raising drive. “Sagicor has been instrumental in delivering some assistance to provide for those affected by these conditions, which can be quite debilitating.
Late last year, Sagicor came onboard to finance the provision of Lupus essential kits, which seek to minimize the hospitalization of Lupus patients, by facilitating self-management,” said Shelly Weir, president of the Hope Foundation.
Each kit consists of a thermometer, blood pressure machine and urine testing strips, thereby allowing Lupus patients the ability to monitor their condition at home and log their data via an electronic medical record, which is in-turn monitored by doctors.
“Based on the data recorded, doctors can track a patient’s condition and thereby be proactive if it is trending in a negative direction.
I’m happy to say that we’ve been able to distribute 60 kits thus far on a priority [basis], starting with the most ill patients at the time of distribution, and this has resulted in zero hospitalisations and deaths from among those 60 individuals,” added Weir.
Speaking on Sagicor’s continued assistance to the Hope Foundation, Assistance Vice President of Marketing, Carolyn Shepherd, said: “More than ever before, organisations such as Hope need donations from not just corporate Barbados, but ordinary folks who want to make a real difference in the lives of others. They need our help in order to keep supporting individuals who cannot make it alone.
As a health insurer we see firsthand the impact of such conditions on the quality of life and finances of sufferers.
So wherever possible, we make an effort to support organisations who assist these individuals, to give them the
greatest chance of positive outcomes when managing their health.” (PR)
