Belizean Woman in Merida Hospital Needs Financial Help to Return Home
A Belizean woman is indisposed in a Merida hospital bed and is in need of your assistance to clear a huge medical bill in order for her to return home. Kera Leslie has been at Clinica de Merida for the past several days with a rare auto-immune disease that has ballooned her bill to the tens of thousands of dollars. Now her family is appealing to the public for help so they can bring Leslie home as she is now better and on the road to recovery. News Five’s Marion Ali reports.
Marion Ali, Reporting
Kera Leslie spent the last few days struggling to breathe with a rare illness that has affected her lungs and left her temporarily unable to move. She was diagnosed two years ago with the auto-immune disease and has been coping with its symptoms, but a few days ago, she fell gravely ill and had to be rushed to Merida. Through the assistance of a popular Facebook couple that helps people through the Ladyville Highlights page, Kera has been receiving help. But she needs a lot more money to clear her bill. She spoke from her hospital bed on Tuesday night.
Kera Leslie, Needs Help to Clear Medical Bill
“Thanks to everybody fi help mi pahn this side. I ask fi unu please help mi some more because I want come home. Ah di fight hard. Thanks fi everything weh unu di do, to Mr Albert and everybody. Thank unu very much. And um, wi really need the help.”
Since Kera fell ill, the situation has also begun to take a toll on her mother, who suffers from hypertension. Sharn Leslie explained that she does not qualify for a loan to help her daughter, so they are depending on Belizeans to help.
Sharn Leslie
Sharn Leslie, Mother of Kera Leslie
“Please help wi the best unu could because because I can’t help myself. I nuh got no savings, I da wa pensioner, I nuh have money. I have to depend pahn only the people weh di help wi ova ya. I can’t find it. I can’t get no loan because I da wa pensioner. My health, nuh di – ah can’t tek it because I da wa hypertensive patient and when I can’t eat or sleep to time, ih affect me because like right now I nuh feel to good.”
The family has been able to pay towards the bill, but they still owe the hospital another thirty thousand U.S dollars. They say that Kera will be able to recover in Belize with therapy and medication. Her mom explained that slowly, the monies have been coming in from Belizeans wanting to help.
Sharn Leslie
“Yesterday we pay a hundred thousand pesos and the bill still deh da five hundred and thirty-one thousand pesos, and we can’t left from ya unless we pay da bill.”
Marion Ali reporting for News Five.
