Kidney society aiming to raise $100,000 from benefit concert

The Kidney Society of St Vincent and the Grenadines will be looking to raise $100,000 from a benefit concert for the ongoing treatment of kidney patients here in St Vincent and the Grenadines.

Fidel Taylor, chair of the benefit concert, told members of the media on Monday 19 at the NIS training room that the idea came to him after touring the dialysis treatment centre.{{more}}

“Though we have this wonderful facility here in St Vincent that is able to reduce significantly the cost to the kidney patients, eliminating the cost of airfares…, still they said to me…some of them just can’t meet the expenses,” Taylor explained.

“I said, you know what, I would like to do something. I think we need to do something, whatever little,” he stated.

Taylor then stated that in his efforts to find a way to make some sort of contribution, he came up with the idea of a benefit concert, which he has dubbed ‘What a little love can do’.

The concert, which will be held on November 15 at the Russells Cinema, will see performances from the best voices in gospel music here in St Vincent and the Grenadines and will be streamed and broadcast live on Nice Radio.

He explained that this will allow Vincentians at home and abroad, who are not able to attend the concert, to make pledges.

Francine DeYoung, administrator of the Kidney Society, said it is the society’s mandate to assist persons who have been affected by kidney disease.

Kidney patient Ayana Findlay is urging all Vincentians to come out and support the cause, because she knows firsthand just how expensive dialysis treatment is.

“Five years now I have been doing hemodialysis at Health Solutions Inc and it is very expensive. I am trying to figure out how my father, in particular, going with all his payments weekly. I am supposed to be paying $1,500 a week that excludes other expenses…for three dialysis sessions a week, but because it is so expensive, I only do two.”

Although she only takes two out of the three required treatments, Findlay believes that her commitment to stick to a strict diet allows her go about her normal everyday life.

Managing director of Health Solutions Pauline Garabedian-Defreitas told the media that her patients range in age from 24 to 55 years.

She also indicated that there is an alarming rate of persons who are being diagnosed with kidney failure.

“Kidney failure patients are coming and they are coming at different stages, and unfortunately, when kidney failure happens, it’s both kidneys. So, it’s not like you could take one out and rely on the other…the need is high and the numbers are high in St Vincent,” Garabedian-Defreitas pointed out.

The concert will see acts like Pearl Mc Master, Randell Patterson, Fenton Harry, Stacey Little, Fidel Taylor and gospel band Gospel Gems.

For more information, persons can visit the Kidney Society’s website www.kidneysocietysvg.com (CM)