To Give or Not to Give . . . Making your Charitable Giving Count

[dropcap]M[/dropcap]ore often than not we encounter people in Castries soliciting funds to assist someone else with medical expenses. Sometimes we encounter persons who solicit funds on their own behalf. Fund-raising events such as barbeque parties, boat rides, beach and dance parties are also frequently advertised. However, the public is becoming apathetic to such causes possibly because of reports that donated funds are sometimes mismanaged or the public is misled in supporting ghost or fictitious victims. It is really disheartening when those who are actually in need of such assistance, especially newborn babies, do not receive such public support in a timely manner or on the scope that will bring meaningful results. Of note, these children do not determine the circumstances under which they are born or have any part to play in the actions of unscrupulous individuals and organisations. Therefore, the need for timely monitoring and reporting on fund-raising activities is clear. This will determine the authenticity of these fund-raising activities to either encourage giving or to warn the general public.

I must confess that I have been suspicious of many fund-raising activities. But a recent situation reminded me to avoid being apathetic due to one bad experience. It is the case of child who was born in September 2017. Physical examination at birth revealed a defect to the back of the head: “a large crystal mass along with the absence of the skull bone”. The child was subsequently diagnosed with encephalocele. Encephalocele is defined as “a protrusion or a bulge (in the form of a sac) formed by the exit of the brain and the membranes that cover it through an opening in the skull. It occurs when the neural tube does not close completely during pregnancy.”

The baby was put on antibiotic treatment and held for observation for cerebrospinal fluid leakage. She needed immediate treatment. The local doctor working with her parents identified an institution in the United States that could perform the operation to rectify the situation, free of charge. However, she would have to obtain the necessary travel documents, especially local passports and United States visas. While the local passports were obtained within a short time frame, she would have to obtain a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the defective area in order to apply for the United States visa. Regrettably, this could not be done locally, and a decision was made to travel to Martinique to have it done. Travelling to Martinique involved some cost which the parents were not in a position to cover. However, with the help of relatives, community members, community-based organisations, and the government, she finally travelled to Martinique approximately three months after her diagnosis.

Based on the feedback from the medical facility in Martinique, she needed an immediate operation as the MRI revealed a strong possibility that the protrusion or bulge to the back of her head could rupture, resulting in damage to the brain and death. This was to be the first of two recommended surgical operations to address her medical condition. It was carried out successfully and the child no longer has the protrusion behind the head. However, the skull bone is still missing, which requires the second operation. The cost of performing this in Martinique is very high. While the family would like to use the facility in Martinique, due to its close proximity, the cost is overwhelming. Therefore, the facility in the United States, where the operation will be done on a pro bono basis, is more practical. This will still require some funds and, as a contingency measure, funds will have to be available should  the offer in the Unites States not work out. Friends and family members have organised some fund-raising activities and are hoping that the public will support these. This is really a worthy case, as time is running out for the child to undertake this much-needed surgery before irreversible damage is done.

So how can we identify these genuine cases where our financial and in-kind support can make a difference? The following suggestions from the Federal Trade Commission of the United States that apply to both individuals and organisations, seem practical locally:

• Ask for detailed information about the charity, including name, address, and telephone number.

• Get the exact name of the organisation and do some research to ascertain the percentage of your donation that will go to the charity; how much will go to the actual cause to which you are donating and how much will go to the fundraiser.

• Check if the charity is trustworthy.

• Be wary of charities that spring up too suddenly in response to current events and natural disasters. Even if they are legitimate, they probably don’t have the infrastructure to get the donations to the affected area or people.

The official website of the Federal Trade Commission has additional information that will certainly help us to make our charitable giving count.