Sharon Gordon

On Saturday, July 14 friends and supporters of the JAHJAH (Jamaicans abroad helping Jamaicans at home) Foundation gathered at the Crystal Manor in Brooklyn for an evening of celebration and charitable giving in recognition of the organisation’s commitment to aid public hospitals and schools in Jamaica by partnering to improve health care and education for those in need.

aid public hospitals and schools in Jamaica by partnering to improve health care and education for those in need. Founded by Dr. Trevor Dixon, who was born in Christiana, Manchester and migrated to the US when he was 10 years old, JAHJAH Foundation has been on a mission to improve the quality of life for Jamaicans living on the island.

“We share knowledge and ideas with the sole purpose of uplifting our people and restoring Jamaica back to the forefront as a place called home sweet home,” says Dr. Dixon. Saturday’s fund raiser was in part a celebration of five years of commitment by Dr. Dixon and his organisation in conducting an annual pilgrimage to Jamaica to conduct Emergency Ultrasound Symposiums at the Kingston Public Hospital.

Health care providers from across the island gather at the symposium to obtain training and guidance on the many uses of the ultrasound machine. The well attended event was also the official launch of a fund raising campaign to renovate the A&E Rooms at the Kingston Public Hospital.

Dr. Hugh Wong, Consultant in the A&E Department at the Kingston Public Hospital was among the many doctors and health care professionals who converged on the Crystal Manor.

Dr. Wong, who travelled from Jamaica to be a part of the evening’s celebration, was surprised with an award in recognition of his work with the JAHJAH Foundation and his commitment to the people of Jamaica.

“The ultrasound machine is very under utilised especially in emergency diagnosis where it can help make quick medical decisions in life threatening conditions,” said Dr. Dixon.

His mission is to train enough people so that the level of “mortality in Jamaica because of wrong diagnosis” can be reduced as health care providers “learn the proper use of an ultrasound machine in emergency rooms across Jamaica.”

Dr. Dixon thanked his family, friends and supporters for their continued encouragement, sharing his inspiration from his mother. “My mother, Hazel Dixon, would say, instead of complaining about the problem, do something.”

Every day, while saving lives in the Emergency room at Beth Israel, Dr. Dixon is focused on “doing something” about the “medical problems that he has the ability to help with on the island of Jamaica.”

THANKED

Attendees were treated to a variety of flavourful jerk dishes including mouth watering jerk chicken, jerk fish, peppered shrimp and much more.

Many prizes, including a flat screen television raffled off. Music provided by Dr. Flexx kept everyone dancing and having a good time. Dr. Dixon recognised his many colleagues from Beth Israel who were in the house as well as Jamaican born physicians, Dr. Michael Morgan and Dr. Claude Scott.

Claudette Powell, President of the Jamaica’s Nurses Group of New York and Co-chair of the NE Diaspora Health Sector was also present. To learn more about the organisation, visit www.jahjahfoundation.org.