Published: Thursday | August 27, 2015

Sagicor on Tuesday presented proceeds of the Sagicor Sigma Corporate Run 2015 to the Jamaica Kidney Kids Foundation (JKKF). The presentation included a much needed peritoneal dialysis machine and other dialysis supplies to strengthen the JKKF's service delivery to kidney patients. The presentation was made at the Intensive Care Unit conference room at the University Hospital of the West Indies.

President and CEO of Sagicor Bank Donovan Perkins, in making the presentation, lauded the work of the foundation and expressed high hopes for the programme which he says "will have a positive impact on the Jamaica Kidney Kids Foundation and help to save more lives".

The peritoneal machine will reinforce the JKKF's operations, which currently serve, through their outreach clinics, approximately 812 patients monthly, with a cohort of approximately 50 children in Montego Bay, St James, 20 in Mandeville, Manchester, and at least 100 patients per year in Kingston who suffer from kidney problems of all types and cannot afford desperately needed medication.

Sagicor, on Tuesday, presented part proceeds of the Sagicor Sigma Corporate Run 2015 to the Jamaica Kidney Kids Foundation (JKKF). The presentation included a much needed Peritoneal Dialysis Machine and other dialysis supplies to strengthen the JKKF service delivery to kidney patients. The presentation was made at University Hospital of the West Indies (UHWI). Donovan Perkins (second right), president and CEO of Sagicor Bank, made the presentation on behalf of his company to Health Minister Dr Fenton Ferguson (centre); Cecil White, CEO of the UHWI; Dr Maolynne Miller (left), chairman and founder of the JKKK; and Nurse Gillian Campbell. (PHOTO: MICHAEL GORDON)

reading to the children

Since 2012, JKKF, a nonprofit organisation has consistently sought to improve the care of children with kidney disease. The foundation currently cares for six children under the age of 12 years, two on haemodialysis and four on peritoneal dialysis.

Care is also provided for two children over the age of 16 years, who are both on haemodialysis.

World Champion swimmer Alia Atkinson was the patron for the 2015 staging of the Sigma Corporate Run and has since agreed to be the patron of the JKKF.

She has spent a lot of time reading to the children on dialysis and along with her mother, Sharon Atkinson, have provided the children with books and games. They are now an integral part of the JKKF.

Now in its 17th year, Sagicor Sigma Corporate Run, an annual road race event, is staged to increase awareness of institutions that care for children while raising muchneeded funds to assist their programmes. The Sigma Run was designed to help, support, and strengthen organisations like the JKKF in keeping with Sagicor's mandate to improve the lives of persons in the communities in which it operates.