Patients in need join forces in unique fundraiser

Four seriously ill Belizeans have joined hands to form a unique alliance to raise money for the operations they urgently need. On Saturday, Fransin Cain, Jose Cruz, David Vasquez, and Hector Hoare are hoping a benefit telethon and mini fair will result in the raising of one hundred and twenty-five thousand dollars. This afternoon Cruz, who is a kidney patient, and Cain, with a heart condition, stopped by our studios to tell us more about the effort.

Fransin Cain, Coordinator, Benefit Telethon/Mini Fair
“We are all strangers to each other. We haven’t met before and Mister Cruz here do not even know how I look, he just know me by my voice, the same thing with Mister Hoare and I met Mister David Vasquez at Ladyville. He is the one that has a fractured pelvic, he is bed ridden and he needs a surgery.”

“When I was nine, I had rheumatic fever and it developed into rheumatic heart disease.”

Jose Cruz, Coordinator, Benefit telethon/Mini Fair
“I lost all my little savings I had with the bank; I had to sell off my vehicle and everything. I lost my job and I didn’t even get a dollar because I only work three and a half years with the government so they say I didn’t have enough years of service to get a pension. So unfortunately for me now I need to raise a thousand three hundred dollars every week. I’ve had some very generous friends. I’ve always been a team player so I think they don’t want to see me die yet.”

Fransin Cain
“This weekend, which is tomorrow the nineteenth of May we have a telethon and a mini fair and we are asking for people to come in and support us by buying food, buying drinks, listening to music and also people who are unable to come to call in and pledge.”

Saturday’s telethon and mini fair takes place at the B.T.L. Park from nine a.m. to six p.m. For more information you can call Fransin Cain at telephone number 604-0001. The telephone numbers for pledges are 223-1417, 223-1428, and 223-1427.

The Hand Wash Hand alliance will also be holding a second fundraising drive on June third. The Family Fun Day will include a band concert with many of Belize’s leading artists. A be a tourist in your own country raffle is also planned where winners will be able to spend time at one of eight resorts in Cayo and San Pedro.