5 year old needs urethral surgery that his family can’t afford
Damion Flowers
A five year old boy from the west, who was hit by a vehicle six months ago is in urgent need of surgery. He is down to thirty pounds and his mother says that the internal damage caused by the accident is being complicated by diabetes. Damion Flowers is at home until his family can secure funds for surgery. News Five’s Delahnie Bain reports.
Delahnie Bain, Reporting
Six months ago, an alleged inattentive driver knocked down Damion Flowers, an infant one student of Santa Elena. The accident has drastically changed the life of the five year old boy, who still has a urine bag attached to him because of the internal damage. His mother, Juanita Vanegas, says Damion has been in and out of the hospital for months.
Juanita Vanegas
Juanita Vanegas, Mother of Damion Flowers
“Right now ih got like two or three days now dat he have fever, but den I give he medicine but from since di past three months, he lone like pain, pain, pain. And sometimes when yoh notice di tube, yoh si dat blood di come out ah di tube and we woulda have to ker ah fi wah check up and sometimes when di financials noh deh, we just have to notice ah fi si when dah get clear up.”
Atlantic Insurance, where the driver has a policy, had been helping the family with medical expenses and in May the company arranged through the International Children’s Hospital, for the required urethral surgery to be done by a visiting specialist. But Damion’s blood and weight were too low for him undergo the procedure.
Juanita Vanegas
“When I mi deh dah di hospital, di surgery mi schedule fi two o’clock but den when I talk to Dr. Godoy, he seh well if ih blood noh normal and ih weight noh normal, noh mek dehn touch di child. And den dehn neva get wah full medical report from he because he dah di one weh do di first surgery pan di child. So he dah mi di doctor fi seh well di surgery need fi go through and den dah neva time yet, ih neva have di whole three months. So he seh even though if dehn mi do dah surgery, ih might not mi work good and eena di long run dehn might have to mi cut ah again fi si dat everything normal eena ah because all ih—ih mi still swollen inside. Dehn mi have to wait till dah swelling go down fi mek dehn mi do di surgery.”
Since Vanegas missed that opportunity, Atlantic Insurance has written to say that it has done its part and is no longer responsible for Damion. Vanegas now has to find the funds for her son to travel abroad for surgery.
Juanita Vanegas
“We noh know di cost right, right now as yet because dah noh yah dehn wah do di surgery. We wah have to ker ah out ah di country. So weh we di try do dah try si which part we wah need fi ker ah but den first we have to ker ah fi wah full medical checkup da di hospital weh wah do di surgery so dehn could si dah what really kinda surgery he need fi mek he could urine better and mek ih noh di suffer like how ih deh right now. I would ah really wish if dehn help me wid he because I really want mek ih get ih surgery because I really want mek ih get ahead. Because he small, we as big people when we lay down and we tired ah lay down we get frustrated, imagine he. And he got wah future head ah ah.”
The entire ordeal has been stressful on Damion, which has led to further complications including diabetes. And even though his mobility has improved, he has lost his energetic spirit.
Juanita Vanegas
“He tell me mommy me tired ah back dis bag because I would ah ker ah out because di man weh do therapy tell me I have to move ah so ih could get—because ih start to walk already, ih start to move round but dah noh something weh ih could do because ih get tired. Afta three months without walk, ih mi lose ih steps dehn, like ih start ova like wah new born baby ih mi have to start over. And like when I would ah ker ah out, he would ha shame; “I noh want go because people di watch me wit dah bag. Di docta seh ih lose di weight and ih ketch diabetes because ah weh ih di stress out ihself. Fi di past three months ih mi ready fi di surgery, but den like I seh di last time when I noh got money I can’t move wid ah and like right now ih deh lay down, sometimes ih noh want eat, ih noh want drink and ih lose lot ah weight. Most ah di time dah lone pain and sometimes I just have to sit down wid ah and bear wid ah wid all di pain and thing weh ih got.”
Since the accident, the driver, Daria Brewer was charged and fined two thousand dollars. Delahnie Bain for News Five.
To help, Vanegas can be contacted at 662-4214 or a donation can be made at Heritage Bank account number 4211523.
My prayers are for this poor child to recover, and that he can receive the medical care he needs. I would prefer GOB to set aside some money, if it has any, for emergency care of its citizens instead of hiring known gangsters.
How comes Atlantic Ins can dictate when & how they will pay liabilities. Where is Dickie or Barrow to offer free counsel and transportation for this child to the US.
Come on this pm and gov. Should be helping people like this a real leader would help its citizens to have access to medical when the family cannot afford it where is the American embassador on these issues perhaps we should send him to Cuba or Venezuela they would treat him for free.
Mr.Barrow have money to send his wife for treatment outside but the poor people of belize have no help. we need the people of belize to do there job. come on ministers get in touch with the family and help this child.
Will they provide bank info for donations?
This should be taken care of by the insurance company as that is why we paid vehicle insurance for. If they cannot pay then social security should pay for this and try to get money from the insurance company through court. On a whole the court should put an order for the insurance company to pay ASAP so that the child do not loose his life.
good point, Yuri. The family needs a sharp lawyer to beat the bloodsucking insurance company.
SHAME ON ATLANTIC INSURANCE
Shareholders and investor with Atlantic Insurance should be shame of themselves for walking away from a child in need whose injuries were inflicted by a client of theirs through no fault of the child.
I say to Belizeans, we should boycott Atlantic Insurance for its inhumane act. They need to get their !@#$ together and help this kid-no matter what!!
Before other Dean Barrow appointed ministers get pa t.v the chat nonsense bout legalizing marijuana & !@#$, they should use their influence & try to do something for this child & family. And what the hell is wrong is Atlantic Insurance, who gave them all the authority to decide when they will pay & when they won’t for an individual??? What part of the Barrow Incompetent Government (BIG) deals with these companies???Shame on you all for turning your back on a child who is in desperate need…..U R ALL NOTHING BUT BLOODSUCKERS & LEECHES!!!
This is where Ministry of Health Pablo Marin should do something instead of riding in his new black SUV, beside irresponsible companies like Atlantic Insurance should do something also because it’s because of their negligent drivers and Mgmt. It’s sad to see these things happen especially from GOvernment who SHOULD offer a helping hand to the poor. It’s shameful when u read t hese articles! SHame on you Belizean Government and Irresponsible Companies like Atlantic Group.
Shame i was looking for the like button! but i couldn’t find it…..i totally agree with you …shame on Atlantic bank!!!!
Dame atlantic bank ,bec he mist his apt its all over bet u could not wait to get him off ur back.atlantic bank should have help this child all the way,an for the pm stop waste money on gang members an start a fnd for people who cant afford these treatements
I am sure his family has been paying their Social Security. The social security is supposed to take care of all medical expenses.
Quit paying Social Security Belize.
You get nothing back from that den of theives.
i know dis gial, ih liad bad & ih di get $$ fra Atlantic insurance. eh hav receipts eh mek up, an eh noh tek care a deh poor babies none atall. she jus wah money, somebadi shudda contac chil services pan deh, i mi kal 2x but no1 eva mi cum. di sugury Damion mi wah recieve dah fi free! dey neva wah ih get di sergry sake a deh mi wah atlantic fi pay deh money! mi belizean people, dis lady dah wah reel teef! no mek eh looks fool yo! dah money eh wah no ting fi di baby, i gat more kids all a dah look sick sake a eh no tek care ah deh, eh jus like paahti wit ih sista. deh no deserve fi bi madas. Sen child services fi deh, mek unu kno di trut.