Sickly 69-y-o seeks help

Uraline Smikley is battling a respiratory condition and is unable to breathe properly without the aid of a nebulizer.

When THE STAR visited her last Friday in Halse Hall, Clarendon, she explained that the nebulizer helps blood and oxygen to flow to her heart.

Despite this, the 69-year-old woman said she continues to push forward because many persons are worse off.

Life has not always been the best for Smikley, as she had to raise her six children alone after their father died in the 90s. But, according to her neighbour, Patricia Vernon, she has always made the best of what she had.

"She is a loving lady. Everybody look up to her as an older person in the community, but she is on the nebulizer for a while. Every minute she is in and out of the hospital," said Vernon, who lives nearby.

The concerned neighbour, who has been friends with Smikley for more than 10 years, said that for the past two years, Smikley has been on the nebulizer. She said that because of this, she cannot move around like she used to.

Despite the illness, Smikley said that she still tries to earn an income by selling pastry from her home.

"I could not save anything because it was just me and the children, and everything I worked was used to take care of them. They (the children) are not in a position to really help like they want, so I have a little shop here to help me get by," she said.

However, there are days when things get tough and her little cabinet is empty.

Those days she worries about how she will be able to purchase the nebulizer. She said that she has to buy a new one every three days for $4,700.

rough time

"One a mi daughter helps me out still. She live right beside me, so she wash and cook for me and ensure seh the house tidy because I cannot do much," she said.

Her daughter, Denise Sinclair, said that even though she, too, is going through a rough time financially, she has to ensure that her mother is taken care of.

"It (life growing up) was sometimes good and sometimes bad, but a she one raise wi. Everybody love her in the community. They even call her mama," she said.

Smikley told THE STAR that she is seeking the assistance of the public to be able to continue getting her nebulizer and stock her cabinet.

"I would not mind she get some help because she cannot run out of it (nebulizer). If she don't have it, she can pass away, and wi don't want that," Vernon said.

Anyone who would like to assist Smikley may contact her daughter, Denise Sinclair, at 876-356-9486.