Category: Health

A few weeks ago, we shared the story of eleven-year-old Jenica Jenkins, a brave young girl battling Scoliosis, a condition that causes the spine to curve abnormally and progressively worsen over time. Today, there’s a glimmer of hope as Jenica has received a response from Shriner’s Children’s Hospital. Her mother, Kezia Young, is reaching out to the community for support. If you wish to help, you can contact her at 621-8940. Kezia is eager to explain the next steps in Jenica’s journey towards better health.

Kezia Young, Mother of Jenica Jenkins

“I got in contact with Shriners Children’s Hospital in Tampa, Florida, and her case was closed. After communication, they reopened her case, so we are going through the application process to have her get the care she needs. So right now what we are looking for is sponsorship because they can only provide a certain amount of care for the patient. But when it comes to parents and guardians to travel with her, there’s certain things we would have to cover like getting her visa, getting transportation to and from the U. S. So those are things that we are currently working on. We do have a couple people who have reached out, willing to donate and pay for certain things. They don’t want to be considered sponsors because they’re not sponsoring the whole trip, just portions of it, which we are very grateful for. We need to apply for both our visas, however, the application is – until we are definitely granted approval, then apply for the visas, but that’s it. By the grace of God, we will be granted, and her case will be approved. So, we still need to apply for a visa. And in the event that we can’t get care from Shriners, we do plan on still going to the U. S. To get help for her. So, visas are needed. Money for tickets is needed for food and lodging, food and lodging. Of course, we don’t have somewhere to stay yet. I do have family; however, they are families that have their own life, and things that they’re dealing with right now. So, my family unfortunately can’t assist us at this time, but they have been donating. They have been reaching out and helping us, you know, find places that would be reasonable hotel-wise or lodging-wise. They’re sending different information that can help towards us getting over there. We just need to finish the application process for confirmation approval.”

Marion Ali

“Okay. And baby, how have you been lately?”

Jenica Jenkins

“Well, sometimes when I’m trying to relax, my back hurts and I have to get in a position where I can get comfortable. And I’m feeling okay right now, so I hope everything is going to be fine with me.”

Recently, Belize joined the global celebration of World Mental Health Day on October tenth. This annual event is a chance to raise awareness about the challenges people face in maintaining their mental health and to encourage everyone to help end the stigma surrounding it. This year’s theme highlighted the importance of prioritizing mental health in the workplace, emphasizing that mental health should be a priority in all aspects of life. In this episode of Belize on Reel, News Five’s Britney Gordon spoke with the team behind the National Mental Health Program to explore the resources available in Belize for those seeking help.

Britney Gordon, Reporting

Mental health stigma is a global issue, fueled by cultural beliefs, lack of education, and insufficient resources for those in need. But mental health is just as important as physical health, and the Belize National Mental Health Program is on a mission to change that narrative. In the past, patients with different needs were all sent to Rockview Hospital, but now there’s a push for more tailored and compassionate care.

Ivette Quintanilla, Mental Health Coordinator, MOHW

“The Mental Health Program in Belize has come a long way. Before we used to have Seaview Hospital in Belize City  and then that was moved to Rockview Hospital in Rockville.  Patients used to be admitted there. Persons who had problems with the law were referred there as well. If patients were in an acute crisis, they were also referred there. So. It was like having everybody with a mental disorder being sent to Rockview Hospital.”

Now fifteen years later, Belize has moved away from placing patients in institutions.  They are now referred to the Palm View Center in Belmopan. This residential care facility offers a home for patients without family support, allowing them to live together, build a community, and regain their independence. Ivette Quintanilla explains that the country is making strides to ensure mental health resources are both accessible and welcoming for those in need.

Ivette Quintanilla

“We have moved now to a more of a community and type based of service that we offer.  We have mental health clinics in all the districts with psychiatric nurse practitioners providing the services along with psychiatrists. We get the support from Cuba. And in Belize City, we also have our main psychiatrist, Dr. Matus, who works there as well.  We have a few psychotherapists that also provide counseling services, and a social worker that also provides support when it comes to the family.” 

Reaching out for help can be intimidating. This is due, in part, to the stigma that surrounds it. However, it is a step in the right direction. Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner, Amy Link explains how they assist someone experiencing symptoms of anxiety.

Amy Link, Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner

“Reaching out to get psychiatric assistance is very nerve wracking. We do try and promote that, the information that you provide here will be secure and will be safe. And at any moment, if you’re not ready to speak up anything in your life, it is on your pace. So the anxious feeling now, when it comes to the symptoms, we do not just jump to a diagnosis. It is. Or jump to prescribing medication because often we have to see what are the triggers in your life that can be altered or sometimes those feelings are signs that our body is communicating with us about there’s something that needs to be addressed.”

September Tenth is usually a day of celebration in Belize, but it’s also a time to raise awareness for World Suicide Prevention Day. This year, the activities included a glow run and a candlelight vigil where people shared their personal stories of struggling with mental health and how they overcame those challenges. October tenth is recognized as World Mental Health Day. Link explains how this year’s events reinforced the message that mental health and physical health are deeply connected.

Amy Link

“The theme for World Mental Health Day was to prioritize mental health in the workplace. So our activities were  really focusing in on those within the work field. And for Western Regional, we provided and also the community. We had yoga classes done by Frida. We had Zumba classes done by Ms. McKean. And we had massage day done with the organic spa. And even meditation done by Yuhan. So these individuals did all this for our workers and individuals in the community, free of cost. And it promoted the basic means of which we can make those changes in our life within our control to bring mental health into our life improved.”

As part of the celebrations, the Mental Health Department curated a serene space dedicated to meditation and relaxation. This room served as a respite for staff to unwind and rejuvenate, offering a tranquil escape designed to alleviate stress and promote well-being.

Ivette Quintanilla

“Our aim throughout the country was to provide activities trying to teach about how to manage stress and the importance of self care.  As well, it is important to start with that management when it comes to making these changes. It all starts with each individual person recognizing that all of us have mental, mental health.  And we need to work on ourselves first before we can provide that support within our businesses, within our other ministries. In order for us to promote mental well being in with our staff. Because we know that when, when we are not mentally healthy, it leads to burnout. It leads to absenteeism at work.” 

Changing the narrative on mental health in Belize is a long journey, but there’s a movement underway. And it’s a movement that grows stronger with each passing year.

Ivette Quintanilla

“One of my biggest wishes is that we can reach more people, that people can be more cognizant of their mental health that we can decrease the stigma and discrimination and people become aware that they do not need to suffer in silence, that there is help. And it’s just a matter of them reaching out to us and for that help to be provided.”

Britney Gordon for News Five.

Diabetes is a chronic condition that arises when the pancreas fails to produce sufficient insulin or when the body cannot effectively utilize the insulin it produces. Insulin is the crucial hormone that regulates blood glucose levels. According to a report by the International Diabetes Federation released in November 2021, one in ten people globally has diabetes. Alarmingly, one in two individuals with diabetes is unaware of their condition, and every five seconds, someone dies from diabetes or its complications. If left untreated, diabetes can wreak havoc on the body, damaging the eyes, heart, and kidneys, often leading to severe and debilitating conditions. In today’s edition of Belize on Reel, News Five’s Marion Ali explores how diabetes can devastate the human body and shares effective strategies for controlling the disease. Here’s her insightful report.

Marion Ali, Reporting

The Belize Diabetes Association estimates that around fifty thousand Belizeans, aged between twenty and seventy-nine, are living with diabetes. A person is considered diabetic if their blood glucose level exceeds one hundred and twenty-six mg/dL, and significant bodily harm begins when levels surpass one hundred and fifty mg/dL. However, Diabetes Specialist Dr. German Alamilla emphasizes that a disciplined regimen of a balanced diet, medication, and exercise can lower these levels significantly, potentially extending a patient’s life by years. The crucial first step is discovering your status.

Dr. German Alamilla, Diabetes Specialist

“Some people are fearful of the testing because of the pricking of the finger, but this is necessary for you to control the levels of sugar in your body. Why? Because once the sugar is up, it’s damaging the whole system, affecting every organ in your body. Some people have this concept that diabetes – I can have a two hundred, two-fifty level and they say, “Oh that’s fine, that’s controlled.” No, that is not controlled. For me, I ask my patients to have at least below one-fifty or even closer to one-forty would be controlled. It can be controlled effectively with a diet and exercise, a balanced diet. I go more for the low carb, high protein diet; it seems to do a better job.”

Alamilla says that if the blood glucose level goes above one-fifty, it begins to wreak havoc on the body without the patient even knowing.

Dr. German Alamilla

“Once your sugar is above one-fifty, it begins to bind with other chemicals in your blood and the worst one it binds with is the LDL Cholesterol, the low-density lipoprotein cholesterol is considered the bad cholesterol. Once that is bound, it deposits on the inside lining of the arteries, causing an inflammation and that inflammation develops into atherosclerotic plaque and that atherosclerotic plaque is what makes the diameter of the vascular of the artery  goes down and so the circulation and the blood passing through is less and this less circulation or ischemia is what goes damaging your eyes, your heart, your kidneys, the legs. You can lose the functionality of a whole kidney and you won’t feel a thing because the other kidney compensates and while the other kidneys compensate, it’s getting damaged too.”

Failing to get tested for diabetes means you might remain unaware of the condition until its symptoms become glaringly obvious. Unfortunately, by then, the disease often has already inflicted irreversible damage on vital organs like the kidneys or heart. One telltale sign of diabetes is poor circulation in the hands or feet.  Gary Ayuso, the visionary behind the Anodyne Therapy Center of Belize on Cemetery Road, is also a certified Anodyne Therapist. He passionately explains that their patented equipment revitalizes limbs by encouraging the body to release nitric oxide, promoting healing and improved circulation.

Gary Ayuso, Anodyne Therapist

“Nitric oxide is a physiological compound of the body. And what it does, it vasodilates. One of the main effects of diabetes is allowing the body or tricking the body not to produce nitric oxide. In that case, it causes poor circulation, which is peripheral neuropathy. And that’s the effect, that’s the main effect of diabetes, it keeps shutting down the body a bit at a time, a bit at a time, causing limbs to go numb, then necrotic, et cetera. Another thing diabetes does is because the eyes have the smallest capillaries in the body, the circulation, is not enough to open. So it affects the eyes tremendously. Now what this infrared laser does, it allows the body to produce nitric oxide. So this machine actually stimulates the body to produce nitric oxide, so it begins to vasodilate opening veins, arteries, capillaries, and stuff like that. So it actually rejuvenates the body and bring, bring back new cells.”

Ayuso has been offering the service to diabetics and other patients since 2007 and since then, he says he has had a growing number of clients who find the treatment useful.

Gary Ayuso

“We have been open since 2007 and we’ve helped a lot of people. I can recall once a lady came in, the door and say, Mr. Ayuso you need to save my limb because the doctor said they’ll cut it off in two to three weeks. And I said, “Come every day” and we did it. And when she went back to the doctor, the doctor said, “I don’t know what you’re doing, but we don’t have to cut off that leg again.” So things like that, we have a lot of success stories.”

At the Belize Diabetes Association, located at the bustling intersection of Central American Boulevard and Mahogany Street, registered members can attend free group sessions on diabetes management. Additionally, they can benefit from personalized one-on-one consultations with Dr. Alamilla, who generously volunteers his expertise. The Association also provides essential supplies like syringes, glucose monitors, and strips to its members, thanks to generous donations. President Lynette Valerio proudly highlights that they offer a range of support services to assist those living with diabetes.

Lynette Valerio, President, Belize Diabetes Association

“We have a support system where we have a doctor who works closely with us. He would see patients in a group setting and even have one-on-one session with persons who would need more support in managing their diabetes. And the services we provide are to support and educate people on diabetes. We also do a lot of awareness programs as well. On a monthly basis we have a meeting with members and persons living with diabetes where we would invite somebody who can speak on diabetes, maybe a doctor, a medical practitioner, who would speak on everything about diabetes.”

Twenty-year-old Deandre Dawson was diagnosed with Diabetes at age four. He told us that in his childhood, watching his friends eat sweets was difficult when he couldn’t. Then he began consuming sugary stuff and it almost cost him his life.

Deandre Dawson, Diabetic Patient

“Seeing your friends, students eating the stuff that you cannot eat – candies, ideals, stuff like, tablatas, fudge, you know, cakes, that went very hard on me, meaning that I still went and do it behind closed doors. That took me those semi comas, hallucinating. Watching my peers, in regards to drinking and foodwise, us as diabetics can take a one and two drink. There’s nothing that we cannot do, I would say. It’s just in moderation.”

Dr, Alamilla who, incidentally, has also been suffering from diabetes for over twenty years, says it is possible for people to effectively manage their glucose level while still enjoying life. Marion Ali for News Five.