Man on a mission: Sardine kayaking to raise funds to buy EKG machines

“I can’t see my people suffer any more!”One patriotic Vincentian sees it as his “duty to country” to raise funds to purchase electrocardiogram (EKG) machines for the Milton Cato Memorial Hospital (MCMH) and intends to do so by kayaking from Villa to Chateaubelair {{more}}and back.

Speaking to SEARCHLIGHT on Tuesday, Mark Sardine said that since he was made aware of a shortage of EKG machines at the hospital, he has been determined to raise enough funds to enable him to purchase six — so that each ward can have its own.

“We have to change things, and we cannot wait on no more handouts, because every time you wait on a handout, somebody else wants a piece more of our country,” asserted Sardine.

“I was coming down in a bus, [and] a mother said she had to fly her child out for medical attention because they couldn’t do it here. We can’t have this. We pay taxes here; we need better than this.”

On Sunday, May 24, Sardine will kayak from Villa to Chateaubelair, along the Leeward coast, then back to Villa. He is appealing to the public and members of the corporate community to donate as much as they can for this cause.

“If you eat, sleep or breathe in St Vincent and the Grenadines; if you are a Vincentian abroad; if you fly our nation’s flag on your yachts… we need your help!” he appealed.

The venture, which has been dubbed ‘Save A Mile, Save A Life’, is being executed in collaboration with businessman Keith Boyea and Dr Perry De Freitas, registrar at the MCMH.

Sardine pointed out that there are not enough EKG machines at the MCMH, and should there be a national disaster or emergency that caused an influx of patients, the hospital would not be able to cope with so few machines.

He added: “Let’s make our country happy and stop depending on these politicians to do this.”

Sardine further said that his efforts won’t stop at purchasing the EKG machines — which cost US$4,800 each — and he is willing to put similar effort into raising funds to buy other equipment that the hospital might need, and for individuals who require urgent medical treatment, but cannot afford it on their own.

Those wishing to donate to the cause can do so by making deposits into a bank account at the St Vincent Co-operative Bank (account number 89738). For more information, Sardine can be contacted at (784) 531-3087.