Health Care
WE AIM TO IMPROVE THE OVERALL QUALITY AND ACCESSIBILITY TO GOOD HEALTH CARE FOR OUR CHILDREN.
Poor health can stifle the growth, potential and the very lives of our children. For this reason, we are passionate about our support to help children combat serious health challenges. Over the years, we have assisted many children who endured a wide range of life-threatening medical conditions.
The support of SLCT goes way beyond financial; we take every child's illness and surgical intervention very seriously. We are empathetic to both the children and their parents and try as hard as possible to calm fears and provide assurance that every child under our sponsorship will receive world-class care. What is most important is that we are there with them every step of the way. We certainly cannot eliminate a child's pain, but we can offer a listening ear and provide a shoulder to lean on.
Here are a few of the medical conditions we have provided support for to date:
- Cardiac conditions
- Cancer, surgeries, treatment and testing
- Tumours and obstructions
- Seizure investigation and management
- Hamartoma (facial tumour)
- Cerebral palsy
- Achalasia (swallow abnormality)
- Cystic fibrosis
- Neuropsychology disorders
- Orthopaedic arthroscopic surgery
- Critical recovery from an accident
- Urology conditions
- Hearing loss and vision abnormality
- Birth defects and conditions
World Pediatric Project
A large percentage of our health care programmes are in collaboration with The World Pediatric Project-a humanitarian organisation that volunteers their medical services. They are represented by a remarkable team of consultants, surgeons, nurses, technicians and staff who have all volunteered their time and resources to help the children of Barbados.
Since 2015, The Sandy Lane Charitable Trust, the World Pediatric Project and the island's only hospital, Queen Elizabeth Hospital, have established a tri-partnership with one common goal,providing much-needed medical aid to various children in Barbados, both at home and overseas.It is not every day you can celebrate a century, but in July of 2019, the SLCT and our counterparts, the WPP, celebrated this significant milestone with a successful 106 orthopaedic surgeries. Children diagnosed with Scoliosis, Blount's disease and general orthopaedic ailments were all treated locally in Barbados or with WPP regional partners in St. Vincent, St. Lucia, or Grenada. Cases that are more technical were referred to various hospitals in the United States.
World Pediatric Project –Cardiac Care Programme
In 2020, the Tri-partnership expanded beyond Orthopaedics and our Children's Cardiac Care initiative with the WPP was introduced. The number of children recently born with Congenital Cardiac Disease is quite alarming. When your child has a cardiac condition, you want the best possible care and treatment to guarantee their survival. That first diagnosis from the doctor for many families is heartbreaking, what adds to their stress is their inability to afford overseas treatments. Thankfully, through this programme, many children requiring urgent cardiac treatment, which cannot be performed in Barbados, can receive this service through our partnership.Since the programme’s inception several children have receive corrective surgery for their congenital heart defects. Mere words cannot truly express the impact of this effective tri-partnership on families. Similarly, here at the Trust, we remain indebted to our donors; partners and the specialist who give of their time to save and improve the lives of these innocent children...together we have all made a difference.
The Gift of Hearing
In 2016, the Sandy Lane Charitable Trust (SLCT) pioneered a Pediatric Cochlear Implant, the first ever of its kind in the Eastern Caribbean. Cochlear implants truly change the lives of young deaf children, actually giving the gift of hearing, however in order to be most affective, the operation needs to be undertaken before the child is two years of age. This means that early detection of deafness is crucial. Our pilot baby J’Dae Prescott received the gift of hearing after two successful surgeries in 2016. Recognising that many other children can benefit from this incredible gift, we endeavoured to make a real impact on healthy hearing for the children in Barbados.
Through the advice and support of our partners at the World Pediatric Project, we launched our Healthy Hearing Programme in 2017. In that same year, the WPP sent a team led by Chief Surgeon, Dr Coelho and two audiologists to conduct another three cochlear implant surgeries at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital (QEH), improving the lives of three children and their families. The QEH provided follow up care and Children Development Centre (CDC) provided the all-important speech therapy.
Such is the dedication and commitment of the three partners in this Healthy Hearing mission team that we have agreed to not only continue to hold two missions a year in Barbados, but to increase the communications (using up to date technology) between various government ENT and speech departments. The WPP specialists negotiate exceptional rates for future equipment and donations of Cochlear implants and other audiology equipment. Thus, ensuring continuity, commitment & longevity of the healthy hearing program.
We also continue to fund the Sandy Lane Charitable Trust Hearing Aid Bank which dispenses hearing aids to over 35 children annually. Additionally, our journey for helping children with mild to severe hearing loss does not end here. The SLCT also continues to provide financial support for speech therapy and pathology sessions for children; this by extension assists these children with the much-needed extra support to try to keep up with their gift of hearing.
Through the advice and support of our partners at the World Pediatric Project, we launched our Healthy Hearing Programme in 2017. In that same year, the WPP sent a team led by Chief Surgeon, Dr Coelho and two audiologists to conduct another three cochlear implant surgeries at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital (QEH), improving the lives of three children and their families. The QEH provided follow up care and Children Development Centre (CDC) provided the all-important speech therapy.
Such is the dedication and commitment of the three partners in this Healthy Hearing mission team that we have agreed to not only continue to hold two missions a year in Barbados, but to increase the communications (using up to date technology) between various government ENT and speech departments. The WPP specialists negotiate exceptional rates for future equipment and donations of Cochlear implants and other audiology equipment. Thus, ensuring continuity, commitment & longevity of the healthy hearing program.
We also continue to fund the Sandy Lane Charitable Trust Hearing Aid Bank which dispenses hearing aids to over 35 children annually. Additionally, our journey for helping children with mild to severe hearing loss does not end here. The SLCT also continues to provide financial support for speech therapy and pathology sessions for children; this by extension assists these children with the much-needed extra support to try to keep up with their gift of hearing.
