By Latrishka Thomas
Christmas is a time for family. Some travel miles to be with their loved ones over the festive period but there are many who are not able to go home at all.
Every year, there are adults and children stuck in the hospital for varying reasons, missing out on the customary family dinner.
The head of the Sir Lester Bird Medical Centre’s Paediatric Department Dr Shivon Belle-Jarvis is calling on residents to donate toys to child patients in need in an effort to “make their day” and to “try to make it as cheerful as is possible”.
She continued saying, “usually for the Christmas holiday one of the things that we are really grateful for is that there are so many charitable organisations that come up and bring Christmas cheer to our children. We have had a few so far and we know that many more will come.”
The paediatrician, however, reminded the public “to avoid toys with small parts and even the plush toys because we know that the fur of that toy tends to retain dust and can cause a challenge for a patient with asthma”.
Belle-Jarvis also revealed that the children will get the full feel of Christmas since the hospital is decorated under the theme ‘candy land’.
