Background
Cyril Ross Nursery
Cyril Ross Nursery is an Institution owned and operated by the Society of St. Vincent de Paul. It houses thirty-five (35) children and is responsible for the medical management of thirty other children living with their parents or guardians in different parts of Trinidad and Tobago. Originally, the facility operated as a Day Care Center for children of the working poor of the Macoya area, and a nominal fee was charged for child care services. However, as the Trinidad and Tobago economy began the long slide into recession, an increasing number of parents were laid off and the Center fell into disuse.
Meanwhile the AIDS pandemic exploded in the late 70s and early 80s.
In the face of this situation, the Society of St. Vincent de Paul, in keeping with it’s mission statement to “befriend and minister to the poor as Christ did,” turned its considerable energies towards the creation of a residential facility for the custody and care of children infected with HIV/AIDS, and whose parents may have died.
The Cyril Ross SVP Nursery for HIV positive/AIDS infected children was started in September 1994 with three (3) children. Today, the nursery is home to thirty-five children. Their ages range from birth to 22 years. Initially, the focus of the nursery was to provide children infected with HIV/AIDS with a place where they can spend their last days in comfort and die with dignity. In 1997, a decision was made to offer, on a limited basis, antiretroviral therapy for two (2) of the children. This initiative was a source of inspiration to expand the access of these new drugs to other children.
The institution focuses on the medical, emotional, spiritual and developmental needs of the children. The caregivers at the home are the only mothers that most of these children know because they are either orphaned or abandoned by their parents due to their illness. The children attend regular school and participate in external classes in Art, Swimming, Music, Voice Training and Football.
The home is situated on two lots of land at El Dorado Road Tunapuna, initially donated to the Catholic Church in 1958. Run by the Society of St. Vincent de Paul, it is named after Father Cyril Ross, former parish priest of Tunapuna and former Seminary Rector.
Children are generally referred to the home through the General Hospitals at Port of Spain, Eric Williams Medical Science Complex or San Fernando or the Queen’s Park Counseling Center. On admission, each child must be provided with a social worker’s report and a medical report.
The home has a volunteer physician who is available on a 24 hour basis and there are regular visits to the pediatric and gynecological Out Patient’s clinics. The younger children are given a set of three antibody blood tests at six month intervals.
Each child at the Cyril Ross Nursery is given a daily dosage of “septra,” a broad-spectrum antibiotic to help ward off infection, and most of the children are on anti-retroviral medication. In addition, vitamins are administered daily.
The children at Cyril Ross Nursery who are presently on antiretroviral drugs would not be alive today if these drugs were not made available through Cyril Ross Nursery. The goal of the medical team is to determine the viral load (amount of HIV virus particles per x of blood) before treatment. With the proper medical regimen, they hope that within a 2 – 3 month period, a given initial viral load would become undetectable. At present, there are 22 children on antiretroviral therapy, ranging in age from 9 months to 16 1/2 years.
Problem
The Cyril Ross Nursery currently has a ‘treatment center’ and a ‘pharmacy’. These are two rooms in the building where the children live. The space of both of these rooms is inadequate because it is too small. The storage capacity and overall condition of these rooms, which are also used as centers, need much improvement.
A refrigerator is needed to store medical supplies.
Storage cabinets are needed to store medical supplies.
Air-conditioning units are needed in both rooms.
The facility is in great need of Digital Thermometers, Repulsers, Blood Pressure Monitors and First Aid Kits.
Objective
Children of the Caribbean, Inc., through its Project Development Committee, has decided to provide assistance to the Cyril Ross SVP Nursery under its Health Care Initiative Program by expanding, renovating and remodeling the institution’s ‘treatment center’ and ‘pharmacy.’
Going to the ‘treatment center’ can be a scary and uncomfortable experience for some kids. Children of the Caribbean, Inc. would like to improve the condition of the treatment center and create an environment in this room that distracts them from their health ailments and calm their nerves about their treatments.
Storage space and facilities is of paramount importance in pharmacies. Certain medications must be stored at specific temperatures. Supplies, such as Digital Thermometers, Blood Pressure Monitors, and First-Aid Kits are necessities in the Cyril Ross SVP Nursery. These items are in short supply. Children of the Caribbean Inc., would like to improve the condition of the pharmacy and provide necessary supplies to the pharmacy.
Goals
The ‘Treatment Center’
- Expand the square footage Outfit the ‘treatment center’ with a lounge chair and center table for children to wait for their treatment
- Outfit the ‘treatment center’ with a small book shelf with age-appropriate literature for the kids
- Outfit the ‘treatment center’ with a flat screen television and DVD player Install Storage cabinets
- Provide a twin size bed for the ‘treatment room’
- Provide a refrigerator for the ‘treatment room’
- Provide toys for kids to play while waiting for treatment
- Provide decor that is educational and soothing to the children’s minds
- Provide band aids and First Aid Kits
- Install Air-Conditioning Unit
The Pharmacy
- Expand the square footage and paint room
- Install cabinets for storage of medical supplies
- Provide Digital Thermometers, Repulsers, Blood Pressure Monitors
- Install Air-Conditioning Unit
Solution
Board Member Keri Close, along with the help of her husband, Actor/Director Eric Close, has generously under-taken the task of bringing awareness, relief and assistance to the children of the Cyril Ross SVP Nursery on the island of Trinidad and Tobago. In order to execute Project Trinidad, the Closes have offered to host a fundraiser at their home in September, 2011.
Tragedy wears faces, but none so compelling as that of a child. The thirty-five (35) children of the Cyril Ross Children’s Home for children with HIV/AIDS have already had more than their fair share of tragedy and Keri and Eric would like to help in alleviating some of the discomfort and pain that these children bear.
- Team Project Trinidad must visit the Cyril Ross SVP Nursery on the island of Trinidad and meet with the director – Ms. Madonna Stewart Morris.
- Team Project Trinidad must secure an architect/draftsman in Trinidad to design the new and improved “treatment center” and “pharmacy” at Cyril Ross.
- Team Project Trinidad must gain the necessary permits on Trinidad to facilitate the renovation of the Cyril Ross Nursery ‘pharmacy’ and ‘treatment center’ rooms.
- Team Project Trinidad must interview building contractor(s) in Trinidad and obtain estimates and bids on the construction cost of the project.
- Team Project Trinidad must calculate the complete cost of executing Project Trinidad.
- Team Project Trinidad must select the best suited company/contractor and contract with them to implement the renovation/remodel/expansion plans for the Cyril Ross Nursery.
- Team Project Trinidad must return to California and execute its Fundraising Strategies to implement and execute Project Trinidad.
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