Luton North Rotary hands over wheelchairs to Ministry of Health

Two hundred and eighty wheel chairs are now accessible to Vincentians in need of them. The wheelchairs were donated by the Luton North Rotary Club in England.{{more}}

The Club handed over the wheelchairs to the Ministry of Health and the Rotary club of St. Vincent on Tuesday, December 1, 2009, at the National Tennis Centre at Glen.

Bill Henderson of the Luton North Rotary club related that the need for the wheelchairs was assessed when the group visited St. Vincent two years ago. Henderson said that he visited villages where he met persons who had not been out of their houses for a number of years because of their immobility. Henderson said he also visited hospitals and centres to get an understanding of the number of persons who needed wheelchairs.

He returned to England and with the help of fundraising events, charity and the Mayor of Luton secured the money to purchase the wheelchairs.

Minister of Health Douglas Slater, giving remarks, stated that a lot of immobile Vincentians become that way when their limbs are amputated as a result of diabetes or hypertension. Slater said that he has noticed that over the years complications with diabetes and hypertension have resulted in the patients’ limbs being amputated. He said that he hopes more can be done to prevent the amputation of limbs.

Slater extended gratitude to the Luton North Rotary Club, adding that the wheelchairs will give persons mobility, which adds to the quality of the life of the recipient. “Mobility gives you a certain independence and uplifts the spirit,” he said.

Area Representative Clayton Burgin also gave brief remarks at the ceremony. Burgin related meeting with disabled persons who need wheelchairs. He added that it would be good for persons to have access to wheelchairs as they would be able to enjoy places around St. Vincent.

Slater appealed to the recipients to take care of the wheelchairs and urged them to return the wheelchairs to the Ministry of Health or to the Rotary Club of St. Vincent if they no longer need them.

Eight-year-old Tori Kydd received a wheelchair at the ceremony which was handed over to her and her mother Sally Ann Kydd. The wheelchairs will be distributed through disability and medical centres around St. Vincent, including the Milton Cato Memorial Hospital. (OS)