NCB Foundation gifts $250K towards Mesheka Brown’s eye surgery

WESTERN BUREAU:

Since 2019, Mesheka Brown had been trying to adjust to life with glaucoma, which had robbed her of her sight in one eye and was threatening the other, so she was not taken totally by surprise when the second eye went dark last year, leaving her only able to glimpse.

While the 29-year-old’s sight was steadily deteriorating, she managed to maintain a level of independence, caring for her 13-year-old daughter, a student at Maggotty High School in St Elizabeth, while working as an assistant with the laser tag team at Camp Irie in the parish.

“It was not always easy, but I would say life was good,” she reflected as she spoke with The Gleaner.

However, with Hurricane Melissa and her worsening sight, things took a drastic turn.

“I am not working at the moment, and things are not great because I lost my house during Hurricane Melissa,” Brown said, sounding quite thoughtful on Monday.

Thanks to the National Commercial Bank’s (NCB) Grant a Wish initiative, Brown has secured $250,000 to support a critical eye surgery, which she is confident will help her to restore sight to even one of her eyes.

“Having gotten the assistance from the NCB Foundation, I feel great, and I am now looking forward to a successful surgery,” she said, hoping to reclaim the independence she once enjoyed.

“I had two previous appointments to have the surgery done, but they were cancelled because the machine that is needed was not available at the time,” Brown added. “I have another appointment next month and I am thankful … . I can’t thank the NCB Foundation enough for the help they have provided to assist with this critical surgery.”

Because of her efforts to be independent and not wanting to be a bother, Brown had been struggling with her condition without drawing much attention to herself.

However, during a family outing last June, her aunt, Shereka South, realised something was drastically wrong when she observed that Brown could not exit the car without assistance.

The concerned aunt sprang into action and, according to her, she began researching treatment options, arranging appointments and searching for a way forward. That effort led to an application to NCB Foundation’s 2025 Grant a Wish initiative.

“When I applied to the programme, I prayed,” said South, who was hopeful that her prayer was answered. “When I received the call that she was shortlisted, I prayed even more.”

Brown was selected as one of 45 recipients of the annual grant.

The leadership of the NCB Foundation was also quite pleased that they were able to come forward and assist in such a meaningful way.

“Mesheka’s situation stood out,” said Perrin Gayle, CEO of the NCB Foundation. “While glaucoma is more commonly associated with older persons, her case required urgency. With timely intervention, there is a strong possibility of restoring vision in one eye.”

Confident that her surgery will be successful, Brown is already looking forward to resuming her studies, as she plans to return to the classroom.

I want to further my training in early childhood education. I love children and I love going into the classroom. I want to further myself and give back to others like me,” she said.

The NCB Foundation’s Grant a Wish programme is on a mission to create life-changing experience to support Jamaicans at critical moments. They have distributed over $11 million this year to 45 individuals across the island. The initiative responds to a wide range of needs, spanning urgent medical care, housing, education and income-generating opportunities.

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