Sad to here another one passed from this disease

February 20, 2009

Not enough money to save Crystal

By Lara Pickford-Gordon Wednesday, February 18 2009

" All in all we could not raise enough money in time to save her

life, " Sealy said yesterday of his 25-year-old daughter

Crystal who died at 10.26 pm at the Port-of-Spain General Hospital

on Monday.

Crystal was in critical condition with her kidneys and heart failing

after her liver failed because of Primary Sclerosing Cholangitis — a

disease which caused blockage in the bile duct causing bile to flow

into the stomach. Her condition deteriorated in December requiring

her to be hospitalised. Last Friday, Crystal was transferred to the

Intensive Care Unit.

Family and friends were frantic trying to raise money for her to

have liver transplant surgery in Argentina.

Attempts were being made to have her flown out of the country by

yesterday as she was running out of time. The estimated cost of the

surgery was US$110,000 but this did not include other expenses.

" Poor people have it hard. We were kind of feeling comfortable we

might get there. We had to get an air ambulance that was working out

to be US$70,000, " he said.

Sealy said the doctor called on Wednesday night to advise family to

visit the hospital as Crystal's state had worsened. But he and his

wife Sybil and Crystal's sister did not reach on time.

" We were going to the hospital every day and seeing her going down

and down. So it was not a total shock. "

Sealy said his daughter was a University of the West Indies graduate

who " worked hard and studied. " Crystal was a research officer at MIC

industries.

Her funeral will take place at 10 am tomorrow at the Methodist

Church, Balthazar Street, Tunapuna.

Marlon Anatol, trustee of the Marlon Anatol Scholarship Fund, said

the money raised on behalf of Crystal " will be transferred on a

given date to the next patient with the problem. "

Anatol said he contacted everyone who donated and they agreed.

He expressed sadness at Crystal's death and was critical that

appeals to corporate sponsors did not yield more support. He said

corporate TT seemed more concerned with " Carnival frolicking and

festivities. "

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