FOR almost two decades, Dr. Theophilus Lewis, an American oncologist, visited Guyana with the Organisation for Social and Health Advancement for Guyana (OSHAG), and provided yeoman service to the people of the country.
Dr. Lewis died on October 27, 2019 at the age of 67.

From the establishment of OSHAG in 2002, Dr. Lewis was passionate in his support, and offered his skills as a surgical oncologist by performing numerous surgeries during his visits to Guyana.

During training on new strategies in nursing education whether it was in Georgetown, New Amsterdam or at the Charles Rosa School of Nursing, Dr. Lewis was there in support. Whether it was a donation of an AC unit to the Oncology Department of the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) or the provision of much-needed service to cancer patients, or the opening of an OSHAG office in Georgetown, Dr. Lewis was a driving force behind the initiatives.

IMPROVISING TO PERFORM SURGERY
Doctors are intrigued by the possibility of participating in humanitarian work in different countries. However, the desire to serve is often tempered by some ambivalence about whether their skill sets are applicable in less technologically-advanced healthcare settings. With Dr. Lewis, he just fit in. Evident on one of his several trips to Guyana, the team came off the plane and made their way to the New Amsterdam Hospital, where they were scheduled to see patients and perform surgeries the next day. Just as they arrived at the hospital, a man went into the emergency unit with multiple stab wounds, and Dr. Lewis and his team, without skipping a beat, performed emergency surgery on the man. They immediately improvised using plastic bags to cover their shoes, donned scrubs and gloves and went into the theatre to perform hours of lifesaving surgery. Dr. Lewis and his team saved that patient’s life. He was so comfortable doing what he did best, using his skills as surgeon to save lives; helping mainly women, who had suffered from breast cancer.

“Death is the great equaliser for there is no regard for age, colour, class, creed, social status or material wealth. Death surely will visit every one of us sometime. We know no knowledge when or how, for it is a circumstance that very few of us have or can take control of. That is why this has been a shocking blow to all who knew Dr. Lewis, loved him, worked with him and those he has so unselfishly helped,” the OSHAG said in a statement.
It added, “To those of us who knew him and were aware of how he traversed the road of life, he has enriched the lives of many, facilitated the healing of many with his skills as an oncologist surgeon, his bedside manner, his engaging manner when presenting information to create awareness and educate the Guyanese public on how they can better prevent cancer and how persons can access cancer treatment, if they are diagnosed with cancer.”

The organisation said Dr. Lewis was a doctor with a mission, whose goal was to prevent cancer and to help those afflicted to heal. “It was always a learning experience about cancer, whether the presentation was given at the National Library in Georgetown, or at the University of Guyana, Tain Campus on the Corentyne. Many Guyanese will have a bank of memories of his leadership, achievements, and example that will live forever,” OSHAG said.
The Organisation for Social and Health Advancement for Guyana is a charitable organisation that benefits cancer patients in Guyana. This organisation was founded in 2000 to bring about awareness because of the need for cancer treatment, medical services and healthcare-enhanced training for medical professionals in the various disciplines of healthcare delivery.