Guyanese-Canadians raise over US$10,000 for GPHC burns unit

A concert fundraiser was held recently in Toronto for the Burns and Healthcare Unit of the Georgetown Public Hospital in Guyana.

The concert was held at the Richmond Hill Centre for the Performing Arts where guests were treated to steel pan music, local Guyanese entertainment and Bollywood songs. The auditorium was packed with guests of Guyanese descent, suggesting the fundraising concert was something of importance to the large Guyanese community in the Toronto area.
The initiative was undertaken by the Toronto based Burns & Healthcare Charitable Foundation with the proceeds, netting over US$ 10,000, benefitting the Georgetown Hospital.
The foundation made its commitment to Guyana some 12 years ago when Pam and Harry Harakh, along with a few associates decided to established the Guyana Burns & Healthcare Charitable Foundation Inc, now widely known as the Guyana Burns Care Unit. The group from Toronto which has worked on the Guyana initiative are Harry Harakh, Pamela Harakh, Jennifer D’Andrade, Geeta Singh, Noel Denny, Desmond DeBarros, Joan DeBarros and Sherman DelSol.
The burns unit at the GPHC was officially established on November 10, 2002 by former Guyanese President Janet Jagan and Pamela Harakh. The opening ceremony was attended by former Health Minister Dr Leslie Ramsammy, invited guests, hospital staff and dozens of overseas volunteers and donors.
With each passing year, the foundation strives to help more patients and expand its reach to anyone in need of help in Guyana.
The foundation also trains doctors, nurses and other medical practitioners to provide quality service. Hundreds were trained in Guyana and dozens in Canada. In 2012 alone, nine new nurses became part of the ever-growing healthcare team in the burns care unit. In addition, the unit now has updated equipment and has improved the minimum standards required for care. Another effort made by the foundation was the initiation of a nursing education seminar focused on neonatal care.
The Guyanese community in Canada has been tremendously supportive and has generously donated over US$ 150,000 to date.
The burns care unit is the only one of its kind in Guyana providing free care and burn reconstruction surgery. Many individuals in Guyana suffer from gasoline, kerosene and acid burns. Some 200 domestic burns were treated at the burns care unit since the facility was opened in November 2002, with the amajority being young women. Many thermal (heat) burn, chemical, electrical and acid burn cases were also treated within the GPHC. As it relates to burn victims, the mortality rate at the GPHC went down significantly after the burn unit was established.
Since its establishment, efforts have been made by many Canadian organisations to help sustain the foundation. Two retired ambulances were donated by York region, and are expected to arrive in Guyana in October. Sunnybrook Hospital also awarded maternity and neonatal equipment to the organisation which is currently in use at the Georgetown Public Hospital.
The concert was emceed by the entertaining Bill “The Crooner” Newman. It featured performers ranging from the Canadian Calypso Monarch Macomere Fifi, to the legendary Dave Martins. The concert was graced by the mayor of Richmond Hill, Ontario, Dave Barrow, who told the gathering that “although people choose a country to live in, their hearts are always in their homeland”. Aside from the upbeat rhythm of the night and speeches, a silent auction was put on with items up for bid ranging from handmade throws to original paintings of Kaieteur Falls and the Stabroek Market.
The organisers said the event was a tremendous success and plans to hold another one next year for the GPHC.