C.E.O.'s CORNER

Greetings everyone and All the Best of the Season. (This is kind of a Guyanese saying). We have had all kinds of activity before, during and after the Christmas Holidays. It does not seem to be over yet.

            Our Christmas Fair was a great success and we raised more money than we ever have before. The Parish Communities became very involved and it made a great difference in the number of stalls we had and the income made. Santa, of course, was the center of attention and he distributed over 500 gifts.

            Our Patient and Family Services Department provided a Christmas Party for the children in our Stemming the Tide Program. Over 90 children paid a visit to Santa and received a gift. If the volume of noise is any criteria they had a marvelous time.

            The police band played for patients and staff and on Old Years Day the police cooked and served lunch to all our patients. They were great.

             A generous Santa sent us a substantial donation which will enable us to finish the renovation of the North Wing. Hopefully we will reopen our maternity wing in January 2008. Say a little prayer things fall into place and this dream becomes a reality.

            We have been graced with two new RN volunteers. Mary Ann will be with us for 5 weeks and Jackie for a year. They are two dynamite ladies with much to offer and we will take advantage of all their talents and experience.  

Sr. Sheila Walsh, RSM, Chief Executive Officer

         On December 30 I attended an outstanding performance of Joseph and His Technicolor Dream Coat put on by the local Woodside Choir Group. What a sensational job they did. Guyana is truly blessed with multitalented people.

            Well I'm afraid we will end up in a deficit position again this year despite the valiant efforts of Department Managers, Administration, the Finance Committee and staff. A good part of the deficit is due to the unexpected starting of a new program with the Medical Team from Remote Area Medical, (RAM). We had not budgeted for it but the need was there the request was made of us.  In the two visits they made we did over 140 pap smears,(many on our Stemming the Tide patients), 25 LEEP procedures, 14 colposcopies and 18 surgical procedures. All were free and almost all procedures and surgeries were done on Amerindian women flown in from the Interior, mainly Regions 7, 8 and 9. The RAM Team will return in March/April 2008 and will be welcomed with open arms. They are a terrific group of dedicated individuals and we are proud to be partners with them.

            We are in the rainy season but thank God there has been very little flooding and no flooding at all at Mercy. The rain falls in torrents for about 30 minutes and then it is like someone turns off the faucet and in 2 hours the ground is dry again. No wonder we always have beautiful fauna and flowers  all year round.

            As we end the old year and begin the new one my wish for each of you is that 2008 is filled with peace and joy and all good things. Thank you for your encouragement and support this past year and I continue to pray that together we can make a difference. Blessings.