Tragedy turns into inspiration

• Justine Simpson Foundation gives free health care

Carl Gilchrist, Gleaner Writer

ST ANN'S BAY, St Ann:

ONE COULD have understood if the family of little Justine Victoria Simpson were to seek legal redress after the loss of their daughter who died September 29, 2009 at St Ann's Bay Regional Hospital, two days after birth, from meconium aspiration pneumonia.

Instead, out of the tragedy has come good news. It was a lack of equipment at the hospital that meant there was no help for the infant, who waited for two days on oxygen, for a Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) machine that never came.

By the time the parents were able to make arrangement to take her abroad she passed away.

Today, thanks to the family, including dad Wayne Simpson, Justine's death is not in vain.

The family has tried to put the grief aside to start the Justine Simpson Foundation to help the St Ann's Bay Regional Hospital raise much needed equipment to prevent a recurring of the tragic incident.

The Justine Simpson Foundation is seeking to raise between US$1 million and US$2 million worth of medical equipment for the hospital.

The Foundation is also seeking volunteers from qualified professionals to deliver health care to needy persons in the parish through the form of health fairs.

One such fair was held earlier in July at Camperdown All-Age school in St Ann, and saw more than 200 residents from areas such as Clover Hill, Camperdown, Jeffreyville and Tydixon receiving free medical care.

More than 40 medical staff and volunteers from Georgia, USA, and the North East Regional Health Authority (NERHA), along with friends of the Simpson family supported the venture, which offered screening for diabetes, hypertension, HIV and many other services.

Simpson, who is president of the Justine Simpson Foundation, said the plan is to make the health fair an annual event and will be targeting other areas that need the service.

The initiative has been endorsed by board chairman for the NERHA Wesley Davis, senior medical officer Dr Nicole Dawkins, and chief executive officer of the St Ann's Bay Regional Hospital, Keith Richards.

They have also thanked the Foundation for the services rendered to the citizens and the efforts to honour baby Justine.

The Foundation has listed the following items, among others, as being needed:

Hand-held fetal dopplers, recovery room monitors, pulse oximeters, infusion, infant incubator, phototherapy light, EKG machines, CPAP, dynamaps, defibrillator, cardiotocogram, operating table, mobile MRI machine, CT scan machine, white bed sheets for single-size beds, and wheel chairs.

More information may be obtained at www.justinesimpsonfoundation.org.