Westmoreland family grateful for donation

Help continues to pour in for a Westmoreland family that has been struck by blindness. In the space of nine years, four women in the family, who reside in Crowder district in Grange Hill, Westmoreland, have become blind.

The only person in their household with sight is the father, Derrick Baker. Shanelle Baker, 29, lost her sight in 2015; her mother, Viris Lynch, 61, lost her sight in 2016; and Veneisha, 27, lost her sight in 2017.

Since THE WESTERN STAR first published their story in January, several persons have come to the assistance of the family. The latest donation was made last week by Dave Brown, a former Social Development Commission Youth Club leader for Westmoreland.

Brown, who is now living in Canada, told THE WESTERN STAR that he was moved to help the family after reading of their ordeal.

"I follow up the Jamaica STAR in Canada, where every week I get my STAR so I can follow up who are in need, whether children or any other individual in western Jamaica, and send assistance to them," Brown said.

He told THE WESTERN STAR that after reading about the family afflicted by blindness, he I called one of his friends, Knollis, and asked him about the family.

"He immediately told me that it was Mrs Lynch who used to be at Coney Island, and I immediately decided that I must reach out to them. I called on my community groups and church groups, and we put the cash and other items together. I am so very pleased to be making this generous monitory donation to residents of the community where I grew up. I am also encouraging the Jamaican STAR to keep up the good work of highlighting those persons in need back home in Jamaica," he said.

For her part, Lynch said that the donation from Brown was a godsend.

"I am so very happy," she said. "Every day I pray to the Lord, and Him keep on answering my prayers. This is like another dream coming true for us, and we are really grateful to Mr Brown and his friends in Canada who helped us," she said.

"I also want to thank the other persons who read THE STAR and see us in it and decided to help us. Without persons like you and Mr Brown, we don't know what we would do," Lynch added.