donation

A grieving mother is appealing for public assistance following the death of her young daughter, who passed away after complications related to Lupus.

Katrina Oliver says she and her husband are struggling to cover burial expenses for their eldest child, Katelyn, who died on Boxing Day. The family has launched a GoFundMe campaign with a goal of $20,000 to help lay their daughter to rest.

“We’re asking for your help with sending our baby off the way she deserves,” Oliver shared.

Katelyn, who just graduated from NGM Major High School, was described by her mother as joyful, humble, and deeply loving, and was known for her bright smile and infectious laugh. “She was always smiling,” Oliver said. “Her bubbly personality could light up any room.”

Diagnosed with Lupus at the age of 12, Katelyn had been living with the chronic illness for several years. According to her mother, she was admitted to St. Louis Children’s Hospital after experiencing flu-like symptoms. Doctors later discovered fluid around her lungs.

After receiving treatment, including medication intended to help her body release the excess fluid, Katelyn was discharged. However, she was rushed back to the hospital shortly afterward after experiencing severe chest pain.

During a subsequent medical procedure, Oliver says her daughter went into cardiac arrest.

“During the sedation, her heart stopped,” she recalled. “When they told me that, for a moment, so did mine.”

Doctors performed CPR for approximately 25 minutes before placing Katelyn on a heart pump. Oliver was later told that her daughter had suffered a severe brain injury due to a lack of oxygen.

“Again, my heart felt like it stopped,” she said.

Four days later, Katelyn passed away.

Oliver says her faith has helped carry her family through the unimaginable loss. “The Lord spoke to me and said, ‘She is with me. You can rest,’” she shared. “We felt peace, but our hearts were shattered.”

Since their daughter’s hospitalization, Oliver says neither she nor her husband has been able to return to work, compounding the financial strain during their time of mourning.

Members of the public who wish to assist the Oliver family can do so using the following details:

Name: Katrina Oliver
Bank: CIBC FirstCaribbean
Branch: Carmichael Road
Transit: 09736
Account: 201708957
Account Type: Chequing

Cash App: $K8ieO

Owner of United Station Services Henry Dean is doing his part to ensure every child in the country as a tablet for the continuation of online learning, as schools remain physically closed.

He presented the Ministry of Education with 80 tablets for the T.G Glover Primary School.

Dean lives in the neighborhood and wanted to assist the children in his community.

“I owe this to T.G. Glover.

“T.G. Glover is personal and profound to us because we live here. I believe that a good number of students who attend T.G. Glover come from the surrounding area. It would be foolish of us not to pay attention to what’s next door. We want to encourage, enhance, support those in the neighborhood academically but it goes beyond that.

“My presence and involvement bring respectability to the environment. We want to continue to build that kind of reputation,” Dean said.

Education Minister Jeff Lloyd expressed his gratitude to Dean for the donation.

“We will not stop until every student, every educator has a device in his/her hand.
By the end of this year, we expect to achieve that. We expect that the 46,000
students in the public school and the 45,000 educators, administrators, teachers
will have an appropriate device capacitated to deal with online learning,” Lloyd said.

Dean said he has provided education for his children and wished for other children to have the same opportunity.

“I know what the value of education is. I have invested in it and seen it produce. My
children have succeeded, but they can’t be the only ones to succeed. This would
be a troubled society for all of us.”

United Sanitation Services is the oldest private garbage collection company in New Providence.

(BIS photo/Derek Smith)