KPH among beneficiaries for 2025 Sagicor Sigma run

The Kingston Public Hospital (KPH), the Sir John Golding Rehabilitation Centre, and the Father Ho Lung & Friends Foundation will receive funds from this year's Sagicor Sigma Corporate Run.

With a target of $115 million, all proceeds will go towards providing critical, life-changing support to Jamaica's most vulnerable.

"From saving lives in critical care to supporting the healing and rehabilitation of Jamaicans who need it the most, this is our opportunity to come together as a nation and show our compassion through action", shared Christopher Zacca, president and CEO of Sagicor Group Jamaica and chairman of the Sagicor Foundation. "Our beneficiaries touch thousands of lives and we want every Jamaican to come on board and support the causes, the life that's saved could be yours."

As the largest public hospital in Jamaica, KPH serves as a vital resource for patients islandwide. The proceeds are earmarked for KPH's Intensive Care Unit (ICU), one of only two public ICUs on the island. With only seven beds, the KPH ICU is often faced with overwhelming demand, sometimes treating up to 10 critically ill patients at once. The restraint forces the medical team to set up makeshift beds, just to ensure people can get the life-saving treatment they need. Additionally, the unit faces infrastructural and staffing challenges, including machines that are nearing their natural useful life.

"The funds from the Sagicor Sigma Run would go a long way in helping us care for our patients better and ultimately save lives," said Dr Christine Stephen, head of anaesthesia and intensive care at KPH. "Right now, patients sometimes stall in their progress because we don't have the necessary equipment to care for them effectively. Upgrading KPH's ICU could mean the difference between life and death."

The Sir John Golding Rehabilitation Centre also plays an essential role in the treatment and recovery of individuals of all ages. Its patients have experienced traumatic injuries, such as from motor vehicle accidents, gunshot wounds, strokes, and other disabilities, including children with limb deformities and spinal cord injuries. By helping more than 2,400 individuals each year, the centre gives them the tools to reclaim their independence and live fulfilling lives. As a Sigma Run 2025 beneficiary, the centre is hoping to acquire essential physiotherapy equipment, accelerating recovery for patients and enhancing their rehabilitation journey.

Dwayne Francis, the centre's CEO, said, "We ensure that our patients exit this facility either walking or in a better condition than when they had entered. We are excited that Sagicor has considered us as a beneficiary, as the institution is celebrating its 70th anniversary."

The team at Father Ho Lung & Friends Foundation is also pleading with Jamaicans to support the corporate run, as they look to make conditions more liveable at the Bethlehem Home, a sanctuary where abandoned children with severe disabilities are given the care, comfort, and hope they desperately need.

Father Richard Ho Lung said that one of the great difficulties the foundation faces is that it doesn't have a roof at Bethlehem home, which leaks whenever there is heavy rain, causing the children to get wet.

"We also provide shelter for a night or two to a lot of the people in the neighbourhood who live on the streets. The generosity of those who donate will be contributing to the care of those at Bethlehem Home," he said.

Since its inception in 1999, Sagicor's Sigma Corporate Run has raised more than $750 million, touching countless lives through health and educational initiatives.