Man desperate for kidney transplant

Due to the travel restrictions in The Cayman Islands brought on by the current pandemic, Owen Powis lost his major source of income. This has left the 44-year-old in a tight spot financially, and as a result, he is seeking the public's assistance in getting a kidney transplant, which he said costs J$2.5 million.

Overall, he is seeking US$25,000 (approximately J$3.65 million). Currently, Powis has to undergo three sessions of dialysis treatment weekly, which cost a combined $43,500.

He is also in the process of getting several tests done that are necessary in order to prepare him to have the kidney transplant.

"I have the donor, thankfully, so myself and the donor are doing a series of tests, so a date has not been set for the operation yet," he said.

Powis, a resident of Portmore, St Catherine, said it was while working in The Cayman Islands last year that he discovered that his health was failing.

"I was working on a construction site as a supervisor even after I was diagnosed. I came back to Jamaica in October because I needed to have a catheter inserted inside of me, and it was more affordable here," he said.

Powis said that the dialysis treatments were expensive, so he had to travel back and forth between Jamaica and The Cayman Islands as he was determined to stay in his job despite his illness.

"I could not afford to lose my job despite what was happening to me health-wise. When the pandemic hit Jamaica and the rest of the world, I had to stay in Jamaica, so that sort of slowed me up financially. I am doing an online job, but that isn't enough to take care of all the medical bills, so that is why I am asking for assistance. I am not just sitting down looking for handouts because I am even hosting a fish fry to raise funds," he said.

A GoFundMe account that was recently created for Powis has so far raised US$1,842.

Persons who wish to assist Powis may contact him at 876-463-1267 or 876-865-3334.