The Insiders' Guide to St. Barths: St. Barth Seeks Donations for New C.T. Scanner

The below letter was sent by David Grodberg, the founder of the St. Barth Dental Association and a Board Member of the St. Barth Medical Equipment Foundation. They are planning to raise 600,000. Euros for this vital equipment -

March 25, 2008

Dear Friend of St.Barth,

Twenty-Five years ago a group of residents, French, American, and St.Barth natives established a foundation called F.E.M.U.R. It’s purpose was to raise money to purchase equipment for our little local hospital. Each year the Hospital Director would supply a list of things needed to improve services and care. The foundation would then raise the money and would purchase the items. As our population has grown ; the needs of the hospital have also grown. F.E.M.U.R. has been very pleased to provide these necessities for our people and for our tourists.
Twelve years ago ; I was invited to participate with the foundation. The success of our little island has brought more residents and more tourists. We continued to provide the equipment that was requested. Seven years ago ; we established an American 501 C Charitable Foundation. Now, the contributions from our American friends to our hospital are tax deductible under IRS rules.
Our fund raising ability has grown tremendously. We have been able to take on major projects that have helped the hospital and improved the lives of all. Four years ago we raised 140,000 € to build a Dialysis Center. We had residents who would go to St.Martin three times a week for treatment. Cost was not a factor because the French Health Care System paid transportation and transfer costs. The problem was that these elderly, ill people would have to fly over to St.Martin so many times. It was exhausting and terribly interfered with their lives. It was bad enough to have to get to our airport, wait around for your flight, then fly to St.Martin and take a shuttle to the hospital. Then several hours later they had make the reverse trip. Then they were forced to repeat the same trip two more times each week and three times each and every week of their lives.
What a pleasure to be at the opening of the center that we paid for. We looked in on these people who were so happy to be able to stay on St.Barth for their treatment. Their nightmare was over.
This year(2007-2008) we raised 240,000€ for a new Radiology Center that is being built at the hospital. A brand new, state of the art GE machine is waiting to be installed. The opening for this will be about April first.
For our Twenty-Fifth year we have decided to take on our biggest project . We will buy a CT Scanner. It will be installed in the new x-ray area. The cost will be a challenging 600,000€. We think it can be done with the help of those who have been so generous in the past and with new contributors .

So…..the purpose of this letter is to ask for your support. I understand that you are deluged with requests for contributions. We all have gone thru the same thing. After a while it just get’s impossible. But, if you want to do something special for the people and visitors to our island ; here is your chance.
The question of why a CT Scanner is necessary is a good one. Our population is now about 8,500. Each week injured and sick people must be evacuated to St.Martin for scans. These are residents as well as tourists. In October, my friend and partner, Francois Chlous had an accident on his scooter. His pelvis was fractured. He was taken to our airport by ambulance, and put on a plane. He arrived in St.Martin and was taken by ambulance to the hospital where they did a scan with their very old CT Scanner. It was a very painful, exhausting trip for him. Of course, after the scan he made the reverse trip.This is done hundreds of times during the year. We have all passed the airport and seen the ambulance entering thru it’s gate. We have also seen the airport personnel removing seats from the planes ; so that the stretcher and patient could be loaded on
When our new scanner is functioning ; this difficult trip will just be a bad memory. In addition, the results of the scan can be e-mailed any place in the world. So, instant consultations will be possible.
All that must be done now is for us to raise the money. If you would like to contribute :
s
1) American Tax Payers : Make your check to St.Barth Medical Equipment Foundation. Mail this to SBMEF. c/o Mr. Lawrence O’Donnell, 32 South Church Street, West Chester, PA 19382
2) Non American Taxpayers : make check to FEMUR. Mail to Mr. Raymond Magras, Treasurer, FEMUR, Public, 97133 St.Barthelemy, French West Indies.

Thank you for your consideration,

David Grodberg

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