Geri-Ann Gifts Nebulisers to Savanna-La-Mar Hospital

The treatment of paediatric patients with respiratory issues at the Savanna-la-Mar Public General Hospital has been bolstered through the donation of three nebulisers by University of Technology (UTech) student, Geri-Ann Miller.

The 20-year-old handed over the items during a recent function at the hospital in Westmoreland.

Director of Nursing Services at the facility, Hazelynn Forrester, told JIS News that the donation was welcome and timely, as the parish continues to experience an increase in respiratory illnesses.

“It’s a needed gift, and with us having so many children that have respiratory issues, nebulisers will always be needed. This will help us in giving quality care to our children,” she said.

She expressed gratitude to Geri-Ann and the Miller family. “They could have donated elsewhere, but we are proud to know that persons are still out there that are willing to give to us, and I just wish for them blessings,” Nurse Forrester added.

Meanwhile, Geri-Ann told JIS News that the donation was inspired by the experience of her 10-year-old brother Anthony, who is asthmatic and has made several trips to the Savanna-la-Mar Public General Hospital to be nebulised.

“I know that nebulisers are very costly and there are not many of them in the hospital, so if there are more nebulisers, then more children will get them to use,” Ms. Miller said.

The University of Technology (UTech) student told JIS News that funds to purchase the nebulisers came from contributions from family and friends as well as contestants in the Hall E Eagles Pageant at UTech, in which she participated last year.

Geri-Ann’s gift-giving started in 2011 when the Miller family, which lived in the United States (US)) for several years, returned to Jamaica.

At the time, she was in primary school.

The chemical engineering student noted that she was inspired by the work of the Samaritan’s Purse, a Christian charity based in the US, which donates to less-fortunate children across the globe.

“I remember them (Samaritan’s Purse) coming to my school when I lived abroad, and they told us about the missions that they went on. Students would giftwrap shoe boxes with toiletries, toys [and other items] for children [in other countries] and donate them to the organisation. So, I started to do so when I came back,” she outlined.

This began a yearly tradition of gifting various items to children at the Savanna-la- Mar Hospital’s paediatric ward at Christmas time.

Geri-Ann’s mother, Andrea Miller, told JIS News she is proud of her daughter’s penchant for charity.

“I really think it’s a good thing when young people can consider giving back, because, sometimes, young people tend to just want to get all the time. I was impressed when my daughter, in primary school, felt that she really wanted to give back to others at Christmas,” she said.

She told JIS News that the support for the charitable efforts waned a bit through her daughter’s high-school years and personal funds from the family were used to fund donations. COVID-19 caused another lull; however, she encouraged her daughter to pivot.

“There are more respiratory issues, so we decided that this year, we will be donating nebulisers. The next time around, she might think of something else, but she will still be reaching out to others to help her contribute to her community, the hospital [specifically] the paediatric unit,” Mrs. Miller indicated.

For his part, Geri-Ann’s father, Gerald Miller, told JIS News that their family believes in giving back.

“ It’s a tradition and I am happy that Geri-Ann is keeping that tradition and maintaining the legacy. I am happy that she has embarked on that initiative, and she has the full backing of the family, and we will continue to support her to keep her [efforts] going. I am very proud of her and her endeavours,” Mr. Miller said.