Allyson Hennessy has received the blood donation which her family appealed for on Tuesday. She remains in a stable condition at the St Clair Medical Centre, her sister Rose Marie Hezekiah said yesterday.
Hezekiah expressed gratitude to the public for their support and asked that they continue their prayers for her full recovery. The appeal caused Health Minister Therese Baptiste-Cornelis to move into action to help Hennessy. The minister was alerted about the situation through a blackberry message that the veteran television presenter was in need of blood.
Reports yesterday stated that Hennessy, who has been warded at St Clair Medical Centre since April 8, was in need of Type O-positive blood. Baptiste-Cornelis said after receiving the message she contacted chief medical officer Dr Anton Cumberbatch so that action could be taken. She said Cumberbatch called the National Blood Transfusion Services and reported to her that the agency would get the blood to the private institution where Hennessy was warded.
Baptiste-Cornelis repeated calls for citizens to become blood donors. She said the chit system had been discontinued because the ministry could not barter for human tissue. She said the only way to eliminate the system was if every citizen recognised the only way blood could be free and available was to become voluntary donors. (KC)