DEATH is never easy. And when it takes from us someone young and vibrant it is even more painful and difficult to accept or even understand.

That is why we share the grief of Ms Alicia Prince’s family, friends and co-workers who must still be questioning what caused this zestful 36-year-old woman to pass away while engaging in an activity that promotes and supports a healthy lifestyle — the Sagicor Sigma Corporate Run.

A post-mortem will likely give us that answer. But it will be a long time before we all will be able to get over this tragedy which hit us hard on Sunday as we watched with pride the just under 24,000 people who participated in the event which, ironically, raised over $26 million for life-saving entities.

Representatives of Cornwall Regional Hospital’s Neonatal Unit and Jamaica Kidney Kids Foundation yesterday accepted symbolic cheques highlighting the proceeds of the event, kindly donated by Sagicor Jamaica, the organisers.

For the past 17 years, Sagicor has staged this event, raising more than $171 million which, in addition to this year’s beneficiaries, has helped Jamaica Foundation for Cardiac Disease; Sophie’s Place; Mustard Seed Communities; Bustamante Hospital for Children; University Hospital of the West Indies (UHWI); Sir John Golding Rehabilitation Centre; National Blood Transfusion Service (Blood Bank); Jamaica Aids Support for Life; Cornwall Regional, Kingston Public, May Pen, Victoria Jubilee, Savanna-la-Mar, and Mandeville hospitals; Jamaica Society for the Blind; Jamaica Association for the Deaf; Chain of Hope Jamaica; Jamaica National Children’s Home; Best Care Lodge; the Sickle Cell Trust in Mandeville; and the Special Care Nursery at UHWI.

These are all institutions in dire need of help to continue providing Jamaicans with critical health services. That Sagicor saw it fit to stage a fund-raising event for these entities, while reiterating the need for us to live healthy, is highly commendable. It also speaks volumes about the company’s vision for the country and sense of corporate responsibility.

The contributions made by Sagicor, and indeed other private sector companies, go a far way in assisting the State to provide Jamaicans with better health care.

But even as we commend Sagicor and their private sector colleagues who have demonstrated that they have big hearts, we can’t ignore the fact that many of these beneficiaries are still in need of vital equipment.

For example, Cornwall Regional Hospital’s Neonatal Unit should not have got to the point where it is in need of vital signs monitors even after the kind donation of monitors by Sandals Foundation.

Consultant paediatrician at the hospital, Dr Tracy Evans Gilbert, also told us that while the donation from Sagicor will be quite useful, Cornwall Regional still needs an entire Neonatal Intensive Care Unit.

The needs at Cornwall Regional are just a few when placed in the islandwide pool and are quite burdensome on an economy such as ours.

That is why it is important for the Government to maintain fiscal prudence in order that our economy can start experiencing the kind of growth that will improve services to Jamaicans in all sectors.