Scotiabank helps with funding for spinal surgery
Published:Saturday | August 17, 2013 | 12:00 AM
SANTA CRUZ, St Elizabeth:THE SCOTIABANK Jamaica Foundation has, once again, answered the call to improve the life of a child in need. This time, it is 11-year-old Najwa Campbell, who has been afflicted with scoliosis.
Najwa, who should start high school in September, is expected to miss the first part of the school term, however, as she will have to undergo surgery to correct an abnormal curvature of the spine.
On Saturday, July 20, Rural Xpress featured Najwa's story, which came to the attention of the foundation. Following the publication of the article, contact was made with Najwa's father, who said that he had received some funds but had not secured all that would be needed to have the surgery performed on his daughter.
The foundation agreed that it would cover the remaining costs of the surgery and the equipment that was to be used.
Contact was made with Dr Ian Neil, head of orthopaedics at the Kingston Public Hospital, who will be performing the surgery, as well as with Medical Technologies, from which the equipment for the surgery will be purchased, advising them that the foundation would cover the shortfall so that plans could be made for the surgery to be done as soon as possible.
Joylene Griffiths Irving, director of corporate social responsibility and executive director of the Scotia Jamaica Foundation, said the foundation had already put together a list of eight children who would benefit from its ongoing scoliosis and spine care programme. However, she said that when they were made aware of Najwa's need, they decided to add her to the list of children who would benefit from surgeries this year.
Najwa's father, Patrick Campbell, expressed gratitude that the foundation had decided to assist.
"We are very grateful. Had it not been for Scotia Foundation, the surgery would not have been possible. The doctor said he was going to seek sponsorship. It was after the article came out that Scotia called. We were very glad because the doctor told us that she was not on the list at all, and he would have to search very hard to find a sponsor," Campbell related.
Touched by the story
He went on to voice his appreciation for all the other persons who had responded to the family's cry for help, noting that Jamaicans both overseas and locally were touched by the story and rallied to help.
"Other persons came in and assisted, and are still assisting us, and we are very grateful. Some people have promised that even after surgery, they will continue to assist. Some persons have even pledged that she will get the schoolwork while she is at home recuperating," Campbell said.
Due to medical reasons, the surgery was pushed back but is expected to done on August 27.
- Launtia Cuff