In keeping with the annual tradition, First Lady Arya Ali visited the Christmas babies who were born on December 25 at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation Maternity Ward, taking hampers to the new mothers.
First Lady Arya Ali with one of the Christmas babies and GPHC staffers
Ten babies were born at the GPHC on Christmas Day – five boys and five girls.
In a statement, the First Lady expressed, “This is what Christmas means for us – spending time with those we love and showing them in a tangible way how much they mean to us. As I looked on the little faces of those newborns, I felt a sense of gratitude, that even though it has been a challenging year for many of us, there are still moments like these where we can celebrate together.”
The Christmas Parade
Chief Executive Officer of GPHC, Robbie Rambarran said both the staff and new mothers would look forward to this gesture during the holidays.
“It’s been a tradition for as long as I can remember. It’s something that has always been done. Families, even to the staff, look forward for the visit because it gives them that morale boost and the mothers as well. It’s good that you can be remembered even when you’re in the hospital,” he outlined.
Delivering presents to children
Meanwhile, one of the nurses, Nalini Persaud shared her reaction to the initiative as she noted, “Mothers tend to be overjoyed. Having that bundle of joy in your hand at this time and moreso at Christmas, it is the best feeling in the world…We’re very strong on breastfeeding. We’re a baby-friendly hospital and we want to encourage them to continue to breastfeed and care for their loved ones.”
Previously on Christmas Eve night, more than 1200 smiles we brought to children, including those in institutional care, during a parade. Gifts were distributed through the parade through various sections of the city.
Speaking on the initiative, Ali posted, “I can’t begin to imagine how difficult this time must be for children who are in orphanages and are unable to spend this very special season with their families. As a young mother, it was important for me to spend some of my time with them and bring cheer to them by surprising them with toys and other goodies. “
The children were able to meet Santa Claus, Mrs Claus, the Gingerbread man and the Grinch.
“I hope we were also able to lift the spirits of the thousands of people we saw along the journey, after what has been a challenging year for many of us. Finally, I wish to thank our sponsors for making this parade possible,” the First Lady penned. (G12)
