Today the Lifeline Foundation received a generous donation of 2 million dollars from the Oak Foundation for the construction of a new Paediatric Intensive Care Unit at the KHMH. The donation has been a result of over a year of discussion between the Oak Foundation and the Lifeline Foundation – which is founded by THE PRIME MINISTER’S WIFE, Kim Barrow. She explained that 1 million dollars will go towards the purchase of equipment.
Kim Simplis Barrow – Belize’s Special Envoy
“Lifeline Foundation was able to secure $2 million dollars for the construction of the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit; one million towards the construction and another million towards equipping the center. We are very very pleased – it’s something we’ve been working on for over a year now and we just got the agreement this morning actually. Because I’ve been working on two different projects and I kind of knew that we had sufficient monies to get the Inspiration Center running but the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit is something I’ve been working for the past four years. In terms of getting the project proposal, getting the design, working with the doctors and consulting with them to get feedback on the design and what would be easier for the doctors to navigate through everything. It was a whole consulting process that we had to go through. But Lifeline really wanted to – because our focus has been on children – we realized that there was so much need for a Pediatric Intensive Care Unity way before all the major problems started. We are very pleased that the Oak Foundation really took our project proposal and basically accepted it.”
At this afternoon’s press conference, Mrs Barrow also gave an update on the progress of the Inspiration Centre which is expected to be up and running by the end of the year.
Kim Simplis Barrow
“Well we were here to give a briefing on the two major projects that I’m working on which is the Inspiration Center and basically saying that we’re moving forward and we’re hoping that we’re up and running by December/January. We’re working simultaneously with the organizational structure of the center as well as trying to complete the center. So we’re very pleased with that – we once again want to thank the public for their generous support in helping us to complete this much needed center. And of course to mention that there are several fund raisers that’s in the making – one that’s happening in Los Angeles so all our Belizean-Americans who are in the Los Angeles area or near there and who can attend – they are welcome to come to the fund raiser which promises to be a lot of fun.”
Another fundraising event for the Inspiration Centre will be held in Los Angeles sometime in October.