The Queen Elizabeth Hospital (QEH) has received yet another welcomed package of assistance from one of its longstanding partners, the Rotaract Club of South Barbados.
The club’s immediate past president, Graham Belle, and Director of Community Service, Keimar Williams, joined the QEH’s team in the Boardroom, where they presented 15 folding walkers with wheels, seven Transcutaneous Electrical Nervous Stimulations (TENS) Units (to assist with pain management) and two exercise band kits, with the total package valued at close to $4,000.00.
According to Mr. Belle, the donation was the result of monies raised through the club’s annual event, ‘Karting for Charity’. He further explained that the QEH was chosen as the main beneficiary, following a needs assessment conducted with the Physiotherapy Department.
Accepting the donation on behalf of the unit, Senior Physiotherapist, Dr. Lynn Morris, revealed that the equipment is critical to meet the increasing demand of patients coming to the Rehab Department for care.
Also accepting the assistance package on behalf of the hospital was President of the Barbados Physiotherapy Association (BPTA), Stacey Boyce, who expressed concern about an emerging trend of arthritis becoming more prevalent among younger persons.
Physiotherapist Boyce, however, assured that with the donation, the QEH is in a better position to help those seeking treatment for arthritis. Arthritis is described as inflammation of the joint, with the two most common forms being osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis.
The donation is also timely as the BPTA celebrates Physiotherapy Week from September 3 to 9 under the theme “Osteoarthritis and the role of the Physiotherapist”. On Wednesday, September 6, 2023, the association held an open day on the ground floor corridor of the hospital, where physiotherapists showcased several treatment options offered by its professionals.
The BPTA now prepares for more activities on World Physiotherapy Day, on Friday, September 8, 2023.