Festival Queen Brings Cheer to Paediatric Patients at May Pen Hospital

Festival Queen for Clarendon, Zuleika Jess, brought cheer to paediatric patients at the May Pen Hospital on Monday (Sept. 7), when she visited the facility as part of her social outreach programme.
Miss Jess, who was accompanied on her visit by Cultural Organiser for the parish, Matthew Lawrence, toured the Paediatric Ward, where she read to and played with the children, some of whom are suffering from serious illnesses.
Miss Jess told JIS News that her visit was to remind the children that they are special. She said that all children need to be nurtured.
“I believe that it cannot be overly stated. Our children are indeed our future and we have to show them from this early age that they are special, and that there are persons out there in the wider society, who love them and who want to see them prosper. I think that we are to remind them on every occasion that we get that they are unique and can achieve whatever they want to achieve,” she said.
She expressed the hope that her visit “will help to motivate them that regardless of where they are from, regardless of their current situation, if they put their minds to it they can become whatever they want to be.”
The Festival Queen told JIS News that she has plans to continue to expand her social outreach and informed that the Jamaica Cultural Development Commission’s (JCDC), Clarendon Office is looking to stage a Christmas treat for the young patients.
“We are hoping that we can get enough sponsorship to make that possible come this Christmas, so that we can have a little social get together and we can remind them in more tangible ways that we do care. We want to give them some toys, we want to give them lots of love and kisses,” she said.
The Clarendon queen placed third in the National Festival Queen Competition held in Kingston in July.