FIVE-MONTH-OLD Jahziah McKenzie, who was diagnosed with Downs Syndrome and Atrioventricular (AV) Canal Defect (a hole in her heart), will be able access treatment soon.
According to the Saving Hands Emergency Aid (SHEA) Foundation, all aspects of the baby’s treatment were coordinated, but another opportunity presented itself outside of the foundation.

“The family has decided to accept the other opportunity…we wish Jahziah all the best and we pray that her treatment journey is safe and successful,” said SHEA.

SHEA will no longer be accepting donations on the baby’s behalf, so persons are asked to directly contribute to McKenzie’s mother, Ephah’s fund. Funds already raised through SHEA will be transferred to the new treatment plan. Jahziah’s case is now closed.

Since the baby was born, her mother, Ephah, has been her sole caregiver. Ephah, who is a single mother of two other girls, reached out to SHEA with the plea for help to save her baby’s life.

“Ephah explained that she has faced incredible difficulties in her quest for treatment for little Jahziah. She used her savings to pay for her daughter to be seen and diagnosed at the Balwant Singh Hospital, where an echo-cardiogram test was done; however, the hospital could not offer treatment due to the lack of equipment needed for paediatric heart surgery,” said the organisation.

The distraught mother had expressed further frustration in not being able to secure the required treatment at the GPHC; she noted that she was told that the results of the echo test which was done at Balwant Singh Hospital could not be used at GPHC. That meant that she would need to have another test done.

Her struggle and frustration continued as she could not get an appointment to have the echo test redone at GPHC, despite numerous trips to the clinic.

“Luckily, a few days ago, with the help of the Ministry of Public Health, she was able to get an appointment and baby Jahziah had her echo test done on February 15,” said the organisation. She was advised to go to the Georgetown Public Hospital (GPHC) for further assistance.

Kindly donate to Jahziah directly: Account number: 520-220-5; Account name: Ephah McKenzie; Bank information: Republic Bank (Guyana) Limited; 38-40 Water Street, Georgetown, Guyana; Swift code: RBGLGYG; for online bank transfers to Ephah McKenzie in Guyana: The Bank Account for Ephah is at the Linden branch of Republic Bank.