Louisiana Belizeans donate to KHMH

Many groups make charitable donations to the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital, but few gifts have more personal meaning than the one that was presented this afternoon by the Belizean community from New Orleans.

Jacqueline Woods, Reporting

On March 8th, baby Chloe Monique Kelly was born weighing only 1 pound, 10 ounces. Because Belize does not have the specialized equipment to handle such premature births, this bundle of joy had to be Medivac to New Orleans. 7 months later, baby Kelly is not only back home, but she weighs 11 pounds and a half pounds and continues to do fine. Today the Kelly family and the Belizean Association of Louisiana want the same happy ending for other premature Belizean babies. As soon as baby Kelly no longer requires a pediatric cardiac and respiratory monitor…and from the looks of things that should be very soon, the equipment will be donated to the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital.

Quesnay Smith, President, Belizean Assoc. of Louisiana

“When they were discharged from the hospital in New Orleans, they found out that they had to purchase this vital piece of life saving equipment to bring with them because the KHMH does not have this piece of equipment. So we figure this was in our means to make a difference, so we decided to buy the monitor from the young couple and turn around and donate it to the hospital.”

Mike Kelly, Father

“Of course we would like to thank the Belizean Association of Louisiana. The monitor has helped a lot. We have had a peace of mind by having that monitor here knowing that Chloe is properly looked after.”

There are a hundred members in the Belizean Association of Louisiana who come together not only to have fun but also to raise funds for needy Belizeans. Besides the KHMH, the association has helped other institutions such as Helpage and the Mercy Clinic.