The Dominica Social Justice and Peace Committee Inc. will pay tribute to victims of tragic deaths in Dominica at a peace concert carded for January 22, 2010.
Twelve-year-old Darnel Bedminister of Pointe Michel, who was sodomized and murdered on February 7, 2003, will be recognized at the January event.
Baby Mia, who died on May 7, 2008 after being delivered by Caesarean section at only 24 weeks on the March 31, 2008, will also be honored. According to her doctors, Mia died due to complications caused by a viral infection in her blood. This virus caused the platelets in her blood to drop very low which most probably led to the haemorrhaging in her brain that ultimately caused her death.
Wadico Bunch, who was stabbed to death by another student in 2002 at his St. Andrews High School, is another deceased Dominican who will be recognized at the Peace Concert.
Among others who will be recognized is nurse Carol Hypolite-Norris who was born in 1970 and died in 2006, leaving behind a baby. She died 11 months after giving birth to her baby.
“She found out she had cancer and she feared the baby would be infected, and she refused to take medication so it would not affect the fetus. She put her own life at risk for her baby,” Director of the Dominica Social Justice and Peace Committee Father Franklyn Cuffy said.
According to Cuffy, reggae star Garnet Challenger based in Canada is expected to perform at the concert carded for St. Joseph. Challenger is the composer for the event’s theme song “Give Peace Another Chance.”
A peace torch will also be lit at the Convent High School at an assembly to begin at 8 a.m. that morning, Cuffy said.
“We’ll take it from there and everywhere there is a peace concert,” he added.
Among the day’s activities will be a Youth Rally at 9 a.m. organized by the Isaiah Thomas Secondary School at the St. Joseph Roman Catholic Church.
Thereafter, the Peace Concert will begin from 5:30 p.m. with the installing of the peace torch. Cuffy noted that other performers will be included in the line-up.
“We’re inviting all our participants to use white,” he told Dominica News Online.
Meanwhile, Cuffy thanked the Venezuelan Embassy for their sponsorship of flyers and t-shirts for the event. Other sponsors are the Cultural Division, Isaiah Thomas Secondary School, St Joseph Village Council, Layou Improvement Council, National Youth Council; Dominica State College, Dominica Christian Council, Camp Rescue Londonderry, Dominica National Council of Women, Youth Secretariat, Portsmouth Neighborhood Watch, the Police Force, Nurses Association, Dominica Cancer Society and the Dominica Association of Persons with Disabilities.
this is a good idea but will it work! i think we should look for the offernders and make peace come out of them rather than only the innocent ones look for peace.
all those lapwet boys, newtown boys, tarish pit man, gottah man, stocky u, canefield man ( chewps) kno the terrible ones force them to go make the be there( all the idiots that fight for shit- rather helping their moda and fada)
make the ones that in jail do something chewps!
enuf sorrow is drawed from the hurt families and no remorse comes fro those who offend! get peace wit them first then cann we do something!
***must stop full his pocket and help the rugrats to sort dem out!
peace! i hope all u get dat!!!!!!!
ADDENDUM TO PREVIOUS COMMENT
RESPONSE TO ARTICLE – JANUARY CONCERT TO HONOR VICTIMS
I fully endorse the move by the Dominica Social Justice and Peace Committee Inc. to pay tribute to victims of tragic death in Dominica. However, I am particularly perplexed by the following paragraph:
“Baby Mia, who died on May 7, 2008 after being delivered by Caesarean Section at only 24 weeks on March 31 2008, will also be honored. According to her doctors, Mia died due to complications caused by a viral infection in her blood. This virus caused the platelets in her blood to drop very low which most probably led to the haemorrhaging in her brain that ultimatelY caused her death”.
I am indeed baffled that the death of a 24 weeks gestation infant is classifed as ‘TRAGIC’. This infant has died as a result of overwhelming complications OF extreme prematurity (24 weeks). This unfortunate death CANNOT BE CLASSIFED AS ‘TRAGIC’.
In developed countries such as the United States of America and the United Kingdom where, based on advanced medical research and the presence of state-of-the-art technology and equipment, the survival rate of babies born at 24 weeks gestation is LESS THAN 10%, let alone for developing countries who have very limited resources. With the advent of advanced ventilators and other medical equipment, the age of viability in developed countries has been further reduced from 28 weeks to 24 weeks, since the technology is present to enhance the survival rate, but the mortality and morbidity rate still remains extremely high at 24 weeks gestation.
Every single body organ and system is immature and therefore won’t function as efficiently as a term baby.
Short-term complications of extreme prematurity (24 weeks) are as follows:
Intraventricular haemorrhage (bleeding in the brain) caused by many factors. Indeed, low platelets can prevent the blood from clotting. Other factors can be , high blood pressure, increased sodium bicarbonate administration, acidosis, etc.
Sepsis (bacterial, viral and fungal – infection in the blood)
Chronic lung disease (lungs not compliant due to prematurity and high ventilation pressures, gaseous exchange is not efficient, infant requires long term oxygen therapy).
Thrombocytopenia (reduced platelets)
Hypotension/hypertension (fluctuation in blood pressure)
Hyoglycaemia/hypertension (fluctuation on blood sugar)
Necrotising enterocolitis (a type of bowel infection)
Deranged renal function, etc.
Many of those 24 week babies who survive have longterm complications and major disabilities such as:
Blindness
Deafness
Cerebral palsy
Learning difficulties
Cognitive deficit
Motor deficit
Death within the first 1-2 years of life, etc
This unfortunate death CANNOT and SHOULD NOT be classified as a TRAGIC DEATH.
The crux of the matter is morbidity and mortality rate are highest at 24 weeks gestation.
However, the concept of ‘honoring victims of tragic circumstances’ is a brillant!
Senior Neonatal Nurse Manager
maybe we should involve the young man that lost his life after spending hours at the intensive care (after his plunge at purple turtle)remember his mother is still waiting for an answer .
Father Cuffy I would love to come to this concert as a nurse seeing that a nurse is being thought of, but can you tell me why is BABY MIA a victim and victim of what.
These people must be careful, is baby Mia the only baby dying after birth at such a tender fetal age of 24 weeks. Everyone who is a right thinking woman and mother knew very well that babies born at this age rarely survive worst again we don’t have the facilities. …………………
My advise as a matter of fact NURSES PROTECT YOUR KIND BOYCOTT THIS CONCERT at all course then Fr. Cuffy has to find all the other babies that died after delivery and during delivery.
I for sure is not going and will sure advise myy colleagues close to me to stay away. Much was said about us(NURSES) on the internet by ….
I must say this is a beautiful idea….so many innocent ppl hv died cuz of foolish acts….hats off to the organizers of this event…hope everything goes smoothly
OH wow thanks for the help… though this is quite shocking for me…. I never heard any one said that she died…..May her sould RIP…. she was a wonderful person……. Thank God that she left a wonderful gift to her mom…
To answer tothe person asking is she is from morne prosper, yes she was! i new her vey well. and by the way her son is well taken care of by carol mom! hope this help you out.
yes gemm this the same carol hypolite, actually she did not die in pregnancy, she died 11 months after having had the baby. i know she is resting in peace , i miss you so much, only you could understand.RIP
who are the organizers for this? anybody knows!
I am trying to figure out if this Carol Hypolite is from Morne Prosper…. I had a friend but I lost tough with her and I am just inquiring.. ANy help please…..
I am so proud of Dominica….as a proud citizen and a student of I.T.S.S i say We are doing quite well!!!!!!!!!