WPP team of specialists assesses over 70 children

Over 70 children with issues relating to scoliosis were assessed on Sunday, by a seven-member team of specialists from the World Pediatric Project, who arrived here for one week last Saturday.

While here, the team, which consists of Dr Chad Aarons, Dr Mike Estes, Dr Kerry Loveland, Kelly Haase, Erin Rose, Chris Pinney, Miranda Flood and Mary Walton,is expected to perform surgeries on nine children affected with abnormal {{more}}curvature of their spines.

Five of those children are from St Vincent and the Grenadines, while two are from St Lucia, one from St Kitts/Nevis and one from Grenada.

Two others have been referred to the United States, where they will undergo surgeries, which will be funded by WPP.

During the assessment that took place on Sunday, 73 patients were seen, with 38 of them coming from St Vincent and the Grenadines, the WPP’s base in the OECS region. Two of the patients assessed were from Dominica, three from Antigua and Barbuda, five were from Grenada, eight from St Kitts and Nevis, and 17 from St Lucia.

Meanwhile, another international company, Nestle, has come on board to partner with World Pediatric Project SVG.

Among other food companies, the producers of Orchard fruit juices were on hand to distribute their 250ml juices to parents and patients, in a bid to promote healthier food consumption and highlight the company’s efforts to reduce dangerous nutrition-related conditions, such as diabetes, hypertension, cancers and obesity.

Carolyn Nedd, nutrition spokesperson for the Nestle distributors here, informed the families that Nestle had taken the bold step to reduce sugar, salt, trans fats and artificial flavours and colours in their products.

In reference to the 250ml juice drinks, 30 to 50 per cent of the products’ sugar content had been replaced by a natural sweetener, and artificial colours and flavours have been removed.

Kim Connell, brand manager for Nestle, said that the move to partner with WPP was an effort to show its support for what the charitable organization has been doing in St Vincent and the Grenadines and the region over the past 13 years.

Connell indicated that since both organizations are focused on the health and welfare of children, she hoped the initiative would be the beginning of a fruitful relationship between Nestle and WPP, and that her company would seek to contribute to the organization’s accomplishments, through its Orchard brand and other products.