Shaggy continues to make a difference

The Shaggy Make A Difference Foundation (SMADF) on Wednesday handed over much-needed medical equipment to the Bustamante Hospital For Children.

It is the first of a two-part handover of equipment, furniture, parts and accessories with a combined valued of more than US$529,000.

Rebecca Burrell, SMADF's executive director, shared that the foundation hired a medical technologist to "determine what was needed, what needed to be fixed, and what needed to be replaced. We had extensive consultations with the management of the Bustamante Hospital to determine the best path forward.

"We had to determine a strategy for solving the long-term needs of the hospital, and that was where the audit came in. Not including today, the Shaggy Make A Difference Foundation has donated more than 400 pieces of equipment so far and now we are streamlining and expanding our response to the needs," Burrell added.

Shaggy, who is the founder and chairman of the SMADF, said that he's "proud that the foundation, through the help of our dedicated patrons and friends who dare to save a life every time we ask, is able to continue its work and partnership with the Bustamante Hospital.

BEGINNING OF A NEW ERA

"We all know that Bustamante is the only hospital of its kind in the English-speaking Caribbean. It's something we talk about all the time, and year after year, thanks to everyone who help. They are more and more able to give their precious patients the best care. It is the beginning of a new era for the services that are offered by the Bustamante Hospital, and we are happy to be a part of it," Shaggy said.

The Shaggy Make A Difference Foundation has made it a habit of giving to the hospital.

"Everything that happens at Bustamante, it's a part of you now," said Dr. Brian James, head of the hospital's Intensive Care Unit (ICU). "We find that we live in a so-called Third World country, and despite our commitments to doing this, despite our training, despite all of what we come here to do, we're not necessarily provided with everything we need in order to do it. And then steps up the Shaggy Make a Difference Foundation."