WESTMORELAND — Armed with her three-year-old grandson’s backpack, his lunch kit slung across one shoulder, and his blue stroller firmly gripped in her hand Kereen Williams journeyed more than 60 miles from Granville in St James to Negril, in search of medical help.

Williams’ grandson Javanie Brown suffers from cerebral palsy. Her nights of tears turned to cheers when, earlier this month, Negril Paediatric Orthotic Clinic (NPOC) gifted her two pairs of leg and hand braces to ease his pain. This is the second time little Javanie has benefited from the work being done by NPOC.

Cerebral palsy is a group of disorders that affects a person’s ability to move and maintain balance and posture. It is the most common motor disability suffered during childhood. Cerebral means having to do with the brain. Palsy means weakness or problems with using the muscles.

The NPOC has been life-changing for Williams, her grandson, and many others like them. Williams said a few years ago one of her church sisters saw a programme about the clinic, and her grandson’s therapist at Cornwall Regional Hospital gave her their phone number.

The clinic, which has been operating for more than 10 years, is free of cost to the public and seeks to cushion the crisis of orthopaedic-like conditions in children. It is funded by the RIU chain of hotels.

“I came the first time [in 2023] and I got one [pair of braces] here; and so I’m here now for the second pair,” Williams said as she smiled ear-to-ear.

She sang the clinic’s praises for easing her grandson’s pain and increasing his chances of leading a normal life.

“I really appreciate the help that we [and other parents] got. It has helped a lot because I know they’re expensive when we do research from some of the things we got here. The brace for his legs helps a lot and I appreciate this clinic a lot,” she told the Jamaica Observer as she rocked her grandson in the stroller.

With the donation, Williams is spared having to pay up to US$2,000 for the custom-made braces, according to information provided by the clinic.

“What we do is a paediatric othotist clinic for children here in the island who are struggling with being able to walk or to control their feet or legs,” paediatric orthotist Gabriel Beversluis told the Observer.

The Kentucky-based practitioner emphasised that children who wish to benefit from the facility will need a referral. Once an appointment is booked, he said the rest is smooth sailing.

According to Beversluis, his team — which includes his wife and nurse practitioner Jodi; his daughter Maddie who has technical experience in health care; orthotist David Burns and his spouse Andrea Owens, who is a nurse practitioner — collects custom-made braces from their patients in Kentucky and donate them to the Negril clinic. They also donate additional items such as shoes and socks to local families.

He added that several of the children who came to the clinic were told by local doctors that they would never walk again.

“But they can prove them wrong. We want to try to give them the tools and the support that they need to help them to be able to move forward,” he said.

He told the Observer that earlier that day a child stood up and walked for the first time. As the doctor related, when the child’s mother attempted to carry him as they left, the child said, “Mom, I wanna walk.”

Corporate social responsibility manager for RIU Jorge Vieyra and the resort chain’s sustainability manager, Lola Trian, said the hotel has been funding the clinic since 2009.

Retired nurse Elaine Allen-Bradley, a volunteer who oversees the clinic, said she is grateful for the help the facility has received over the years. She is encouraging parents from all across Jamaica to take advantage of the opportunity presented. Allen-Bradley is also president of the Negril Chamber of Commerce.

“Everything is free here. It is the only one of this kind on the island and we are growing fast. We are filling a gap that the health-care system in Jamaica cannot afford to fill now,” Allen-Bradley said.