WELCOME REMARKS BY HER EXCELLENCY THE MOST HONOURABLE LADY ALLEN AT THE LAUNCH OF THE SHAUNA FULLER CLARKE’S B.A.S.E. FOUNDATION
KING’S HOUSE, MARCH 20, 2013
Good Morning to you all!
His Excellency The Governor-General and I are always pleased to open the doors of this beautiful and historic building to the people of Jamaica, and to the launch of the Shauna Fuller Clarke’s B.A.S.E. Foundation.
I am pleased to be the Patron for this association, as a woman, a mother and an active citizen of Jamaica. There is no time as the present to support the wellbeing of our women and in turn our society.
In the year 1984, Mrs. Indira Ghandi was murdered and this was recorded in history as a horrific and unbelievable crime. In this same year, at about the same time, a bit of history was shaping for two young women in their mid-thirties. What these two young women had in common was a hospital, the same surgery date, the same surgeon and a shared hospital room.
The morning post-surgery, a young dapper Dr. Daley walked into the room to do his rounds. To one he said, “I almost lost you last night; you just wouldn’t stop bleeding.” To the other he said, “Your surgery lasted much longer than I anticipated. The endometriosis was so bad, it had grown out of the uterus and was all over the pelvic cavity. It was like morass in a pond. I tried clean it up as best as I could.”
I counted myself lucky. I would be able to go home to my three children. This young lady was married and wanted children but endometriosis had prevented her. The Surgery was her hope for having a child of her own. I saw then and still remember watching the pain on her face at the thought that her hope of having a family might not materialize. I never met her again yet the impact of her pain still lingers after twenty nine (29) years.
That was my first encounter with endometriosis. There are countless stories of sadness and despair but we hope to change that. B.A.S.E. WILL change that with your support. Your support will ensure research that will offer new treatment modalities, awareness that will offer understanding for women with endometriosis and a support network right here in Jamaica.
It should be easy for all of us to be Ambassadors for this cause out of the love we have for our mothers, daughters, sisters and all the women that have had positive impact in our lives.
I pledge my support to the growth and development of the Foundation as it seeks to achieve its objectives and improve the quality of life of many Jamaican women.
Once again, I welcome you all to King’s House and to the launch of the Sauna Fuller Clarke’s B. A. S. E. Foundation.
Thank you.