C.E.O.'s CORNER

On November 29th I experienced my very first earthquake. It hit in Martinique at 7. 3 on the Richter Scale and then moved on through Trinidad and we just received a little shaking. I was at a meeting at the time and suddenly heard a commotion out in the yard. I guess the procedure is to vacate the building when trembling begins. Mrs. Park, my Assistant, recognized what was happening immediately and I still hadn’t felt the trembling. It tells you how alert I am. I wasn’t even smart enough to be afraid. Well this happened at 3 p.m. and just can just imagine how much work got done the remainder of the day.

Our friends from Canada “Guyana Eye Care Project” arrived on November 18 and carried on a tremendous project in Charity Essequibo. There were 11 on the Team including the Coordinator, optometrists, opticians and assistants. They worked with the Essequibo Coast Lions Club, Mercy Hospital through our New Light/New Sight program and a number of locals. In five days they saw over 1,100 patients in the Clinic and over 800 eyeglasses were dispensed. Any eyeglass prescriptions that were not available from the inventory on hand were brought back to Canada to be made up and sent to Guyana to the patients. About 85 patients were referred to Suddie Hospital for further treatment for glaucoma, cataracts and pterygium. These people will have to wait until an ophthalmologist is available. Paul and his Team are already planning next year’s trip. What a wonderful group of individuals. I feel privileged that Mercy was a small part of it.

S r. S hei la W als h,*R SM*, *Chi ef E xec uti ve O ffi cer*

Thanksgiving was special this year for me. There were 14 of us for dinner and the preparation was so easy as everyone brings something. It proved to be a relaxing, enjoyable evening with all leaving with full stomachs.

Mercy Hospital had a Health Fair on the hospital grounds on November 16th. And it was a great success. It featured blood pressure, HIV and sugar testing, massage, blood typing, lectures on various topics such as breast cancer, colon cancer, diarrhea, asthma and HIV/AIDS. There were demonstrations on nutrition and information and brochures on many topics. All in all over 500 people took advantage of the opportunity to learn about ways to improve their quality of life.

The Mercy Auxiliary Christmas Fair is December 1st and we are all praying for good weather. This is the biggest fund raiser of the year and always proves to be a friend and fun raiser as well. The funds raised by the Auxiliary are used to supplement the Mobile Clinic and pay hospital bills of patients who are poor and in need of medical care.

Our School of Nursing continues to be a source of encouragement and enrichment to our hospital and our people. Our seniors had the highest percentage in the rating for the Guyana State Board exams of all the schools of nursing in the country.
Last week our freshmen put on a program entitled “Pleasure of Preserves” wherein the each make a preservative, bottled and labeled it and presented it for sale. We had pickled pork, pickled mangos, plantain flour, cherry stew, guava cheese, pickled peppers and cucumbers, Jamoon wine, fudge, salted mackerel and a variety of other delicacies. They make me so proud.

I’m sure with the Holidays upon us everyone is scurrying about preparing. A word of advice. Let us take a little time out to prepare ourselves and reflect on the many blessings we have received in 2007. It will make the Season much richer.

Sr. Sheila Walsh, RSM,
Chief Executive Officer
3-Dec-2007

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