My life has been
surrounded by volunteerism but the volunteer that really appeals to me is an
international music artiste: Orville Richard Burrell otherwise known as “Shaggy”.
10 years ago, Shaggy was introduced to the Bustamante Hospital for Children
whilst visiting a friend’s son who had been admitted there. He was so moved by
what he saw, that he vowed to do whatever he could to make things better there
for Jamaica’s children. This visit opened Shaggy’s eyes to the obstacles
children faced with receiving medical care in Jamaica and the region, it being
the only full service children’s hospital in the English speaking Caribbean, he
resolved that something had to be done in order to improve the conditions
there. For eight years he quietly made personal donations of medical equipment,
which the hospital desperately needed, such as:
2001- two (2)
Ventilators
2002-
Electroencephalogram (EEG) Machine
2003- Table Top
Sterilizing Machine
2005- Funded the
Upgrade of the Medical Oxygen System
2006- Funded the
Beautification of the Administrative Block
2008- Collaborated with
Scotia bank to create a park & recreation area
Shaaggy’s donations
gave birth to the organization “Shaggy Save A Life Foundation” where he
encouraged other artistes to give of their services free of cost in raising
funds for the Bustamate Children’s Hospital”. Every year artistes from the
Caribbean and other parts of the world come together in the form of concert to
raise millions of dollars at their expense. This effort has also raised an awareness
on the health issues that children face on a daily basis.
I feel very proud of
Shaggy and his friends because they have not only saved many children’s lives through
their voluntary efforts but they have made me realized that anything is
possible when you put your heart in it and truly believe that you can make a
world of a difference. The Shaggy Foundation is not just a one-time affair but
it has transpired into a life commitment to very ill children.
Here is a link to the “Shaggy
Foundation”: http://shaggyonline.com/charity
Judy
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for sharing this information. I love when I hear positive stories of celebrities who use their fame and fortune for greater causes. I also like to hear when it is children they are helping. With their well known names they are much more capable of making a change for the better.
Judy,
ReplyDeleteYour post was so inspiring to read! It is refreshing to see all of the positive ways that celebrities contribute their time and money, as Sam stated. I think what stood out the most to me was when you mentioned that Shaggy was making donations quietly. That alone speaks volumes to me because it immediately displayed the level of compassion he had for this issue instead of making it a huge publicity event. Thanks so much for sharing!