TCCF Presents Donation at the 40th Anniversary of the Herbie Fund

BY SIMONE J. SMITH

There are socioeconomic inequalities and social determinants within a country that add to the inequalities in health, especially children’s health. These social determinants are not only visible in North America, but also in places like Central America and the Caribbean. Established in 2000, The Caribbean Children’s Foundation (TCCF) has focused on supporting families who have children suffering from life-threatening ailments. Over the 19 years since inception, TCCF’s President Jay Brijpaul has successfully partnered with other international charities including the: International Children’s Heart Foundation, Baby Heart and Spine Hope to bring health care closer to the Caribbean. TCCF has also formed close relations with the committee at the Herbie Fund, and this year, they donated $50,000 at the 40^th Anniversary Celebration of the Herbie Fund. To understand TCCF’s connection to the Herbie Fund, let us learn more about who Herbie Quinones is.

Forty years ago, Herbie Quinones was born with a condition in which his windpipe compressed between a major artery and his esophagus cutting off airflow to his lungs when he swallowed food. Imagine being a mother, and knowing that every time you fed your child, there might be a chance that you would kill them. If it weren’t for the wonderful, open hearts of Gina and Paul Godfrey, along with the medical staff at the Hospital for Sick Children, Herbie would have likely died. Within days, the joint community raised over $16,000 so that Herbie and his mom could come to Toronto for a rare operation to fix a life-threatening birth defect. The U.S. health insurance company agreed to pay the family’s hospital cost in 1979, so the money that was raised by the city was put into a permanent fund, rightfully named after Herbie, to help other ailing children.

In 2014, the Herbie Fund awarded TCCF with the Spirit Award; the award recognized the outstanding performance and commitment that the TCCF had made to help critically ill children. What is amazing is that TCCF donates and contributes to many charitable donations, and they do so with a relatively small donor base.

“Tonight is not just about the past, it is about the next 40 years, and ensuring tomorrow’s children have access to this life-changing program.” (Ted Garrard, Chief Executive Officer, Sick Kids Foundation)

From start to finish, it was clear that this was not just any concert. The night put on display the greatness of Canadian Stardom and featured: the tantalizing tap sensation, Travis Nights; first ever Juno award-winning Inuk singer and songwriter Susan Aglukark; vocal sensation and multi-instrumentalist Jordan John, and a brilliant talent, Sean Jones who stepped in at the last minute due to an unexpectedly ill Alen Frew. Toronto Caribbean Newspaper had been invited to accompany TCCF at Beyond Boundless, and we were able to take in all of the great work that is being done here in Toronto.

I was able to steal a few minutes from Elder Jay Brijpaul during the intermission to quickly talk about his thoughts for TCCF going forward. He shared with me the journey that the organization has been on, and the importance of the Caribbean community throughout the diaspora helping those who may not be able to afford the healthcare that we have here in Canada. It is through combined efforts that many children in the Caribbean have hope in living long and substantial lives.

We can all do more, and if you are not involved in any charitable activities, this is one to consider. You can visit TCCF at https://www.tccfangels.com, or lend your services at their national office located at 33 Moorehead Crescent, Brampton, Ontario. If you have any personal questions, they can be reached at 905-840-5369.

We are very proud of the work that is being done over at TCCF, and we hope that our community continues to find ways to open their hearts to those who are less fortunate.