London Gala Raises over $200,000 for Pediatric Unit

The original article can be found in: The Guardian By Shane D. Williams

Kim Simplis-Barrow, Special Envoy for Women and Children, collaborated with the Belize High Commission in London, to host a fundraising gala for a Pediatric Intensive Care Unit that is being constructed at the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital. The event took place on Thursday, June 27th, and featured performances by internationally acclaimed Belizean composer, Francis Reneau, and other local artists, including Pen Cayetano and family. The event was well attended by members of the Diaspora and other friends of Belize as over $200,000 (£65,000) was raised for the Belize Children’s Trust.
Kim Simplis-Barrow and partners broke ground on the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit at the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital on June 13th, 2011 and construction began in June of this year. The Pediatric ICU will cost over three million dollars. Alan Gobie of the Gobie Foundation pledged an extremely generous donation of $1 million, Douglas Jackson said Project C.U.R.E. would donate over a million dollars in medical supplies and equipment and other organization made pledges as well. However, there have been delays in actually receiving the donations because of the technicalities involved with such donor agencies. Construction commenced with funds that was raised by the Lifeline Foundation and $500,000 that has been provided by the Government of Belize.

The Pediatric ICU will improve the quality of services currently offered to ill children at the KHMH but most importantly, it will also provide services that are not available in the country. The staff will be trained in pediatric care because pediatricians are very important players in the healthcare system of a country as children are the most vulnerable patients and they need specialists’ attention. Those in the pediatric field like to say, “Children are not small adults” because their bodies are totally different.

The London gala was the first fundraising event of the Belize Children’s Trust, which was recently formed to raise funds both locally and internationally for projects that benefit children. According to the Office of the Special Envoy, it will also assist children who are hungry, abandoned, abused or otherwise in need.

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