“Born Blue” certainly reached into the raw depths of the soul, leaving viewers overwhelmed with emotion and compassion after witnessing the struggles of children born with cardiac illnesses.
The screening of the locally filmed and produced documentary was hosted at Cara Lodge on Quamina Street, Georgetown, by the Public Health Ministry in
Students of the St Roses High School performing a folk song
collaboration with the Canadian High Commission on Wednesday. The event was to raise awareness of the prevalence of cardio-vascular diseases as well as the courses of treatment available in Guyana.
Chairperson of the event and Head of the Cardiology Department at the Georgetown Public Hospital (GPHC), Dr Mahendra Carpen, welcomed the attendants, who showed in numbers despite the inclement weather, as star of the show and co-Director of Guyana Programme to Advance Cardiac Care (GPACC), Dr Debra Isaac presented an overview of the foundation and the film to be screened. She proudly announced to the applauding audience that the documentary was aired nationally in Canada and won an award at the Las Vegas Film Festival.
The doctor said the programme was made possible through the long standing partnership between Guyana and Canada and highlighted the circumstances under which she came to Guyana in 2012 when she was invited by the then Health Minister, Dr Bheri Ramsarran.
Dr Isaac underscored the unfortunate situation in Guyana was such that persons
Former Health Minister. Dr Bheri Ramsarran and Speaker of the National Assembly, Dr Barton Scotland among the gathering for the screening of “Born Blue”
rarely sought medical attention early, often coming in too late. News of their arrival spread like wildfire around the country as thousands flooded the GPHC laboratory to conduct tests with cases of suspected illnesses. Guyana Times heard that the GPACC, to date, has successfully executed some 120 surgeries in children within 24 months, thus far.
The ceremony proceeded with a musical rendition by the Choir of St Roses High School arousing laughter and thunderous applause from the audience with the performance of a string of folk songs and national songs.
Delivering the featured address at the screening was Public Health Minister Volda Lawrence, who noted the importance for such an event which is aimed at raising awareness of Guyana’s cardiac programme in the public health sector and attracting support by way of funding from the business community. On this note, she highlighted that cardiac care is costly, nonetheless encouraging stakeholders in the Private Sector to invest extensively in this aspect as she expressed her optimism that sufficient funds may be garnered to assist persons; more specifically children, who run the risk of cardiac illnesses.
Also speaking at the screening was High Commissioner of Canada, Pierre Giroux, who indicated that such events embody Canadian values and commend the relationship shared between the two nations, especially in the fight against cardio-vascular diseases, while highlighting that the partnership is invaluable to Guyana in many ways.
“The screening of “Born Blue” will highlight the work of GPACC. It also showcases that there are interventions in trying to change the course of cardio-vascular diseases, here in Guyana, especially for the most vulnerable in society, children,” the High Commissioner stated.
As the High Commissioner concluded his address, the 40-minute film captured the rapt attention of viewers who sat in silence from start to finish, with the occasional intervention of heartfelt sniffles sounding across the room.
The 2016 filmed documentary portrayed the heart-wrenching stories of children born with cardiac illnesses, as hopeless parents coped and accepted their conditions in the absence of cardiac specialists and affordable healthcare in Guyana, prior to the establishment of the GPACC.
Co-star of the film, Dr Rodrigo Soto, took to the camera to express the passion of being a surgeon, and his grown attachment to the patients as being the primary inspiration which kept him going, despite having only a few hours of sleep per day. The doctor emphasised the need to be focused in such a time where there was absolutely no room for error, knowing that there were persons counting on them to win the battle of life and death.
Overall, the documentary did not fail to arouse tremendous emotion from the majority of audience who placed themselves in the shoes of the parents of the ill-children as reality struck; realisation dawned that life is indeed unpredictable.
