MOUNT SALEM, St James — Every Yuletide for the past five years, the Janet Richards Foundation has been bringing joy to children and staff at the Cornwall Regional Hospital’s Paediatric Department. It hasn’t always been easy funding the treat and this year was particularly challenging.

“In October, I did not know that I would have been doing a treat like this [but] God has a way of just letting things appear for me because he knows my heart,” said founder Janet Richards.

She said help came from JETS, the parent company of Jamaica’s leading retail payment system, MultiLink, via United Way of Jamaica.

“I’m going to say it publicly, they gave me $500,000. Yes, and they said, buy some tangible things for the ward,” added Richards

The Joan Duncan Foundation also contributed to the treat and donation ceremony held on Monday. Items gifted to the St James-based health facility included 10 wall fans and two standing fans for the wards and nurse’s station. Toys and meals for the children were also provided. In addition, 10 care bags were given to nurses, nurses’ aides and the cleaners of the wards.

The Jamaica Observer caught up with a young mother, Deandra Dockery, whose son has been admitted to CRH for the past two weeks. While she is hoping that he will not have to spend Christmas in the hospital, she is happy for the spirit of joy shared by the foundation.

“This is good. The kids are having fun and enjoying the moment,” said Dockery, who also said the fans will allow staff to give care to the children in a comfortable environment.

“It is a good improvement overall on the ward itself,” she added.

Acting ward manager for the Paediatrics Department at Cornwall Regional Hospital, Loray Graham said the treat is something the hospital looks forward to each year.

“Sometimes people come in who really do not have the means to provide for the children or sometimes they come in as an emergency and so they will not have the necessities. So, we look forward to having these things on the ward so that we can actually help these children to optimise their treatment,” Graham told the Observer.

On the day of the treat there were about 20 patients admitted to the department.

A grateful Graham, in pointing to the benefits, said the heat was unpleasant over the summer and the fans will make a difference.

“When we were without fans it was very hard for the patients and us — the nurses — and we even had parents complaining. So, we are very thankful for the fans that we have gotten,” she said.

Deputy mayor of Montego Bay Richard Vernon said he was happy for the kindness shown to the children. He noted that a kind heart and a change of environment can help deal with some of the challenges with which the youngsters are faced.

“You wonder sometimes how we became so violent or detached from society. You have some little ones, from very young, and no one cares for them. No one sees them and when you come and give them a gift, it erases that strain and makes them become a little more peaceful in trying to become better agents of society. So, you are doing a great job and it is going farther than you think,” he told members of the foundation.

Senior administrator at the Cornwall Regional Hospital, Kameisha Lindo thanked members of the Janet Richards Foundation for their continued support.

“I am sure the staff, the patients, the parents of the kids, they are really appreciative and I know they will touch the lives of these kids who are here today,” she said gratefully.