Boat Capsizes Near Caye Caulker - Three Missing at Sea

At 11:10PM on Saturday night Belize National Coast Guard received a distress call on Channel 16 from the vessel Helga. Helga, which flies a Panamanian flag, is leased by a Cuban company. The crew of one captain and 10 men were in route from Mexico to Honduras where there were transporting salt. Their location was posted three miles east of Caye Caulker. A rescue mission was launched consisting of the National Coast Guard, the Belize Defense Force, local police and volunteers. At 3AM today four survivors were rescued from the water and another four were recovered at 8AM.

Three crewmembers remain unaccounted for and the search continues. The men rescued were transported to Caye Caulker where they received medical care and are awaiting transport off the island.

The Art of Life: Your Chemistry

Hangovers- considering the amount of bars in San Pedro, I am sure they are people experiencing this daily. You can’t do anything but wait till the alcohol departs your body. Most often it takes a whole day to recover. Imagine you could see inside yourself-all your organs and the different circulatory systems that make your body work. Now everything you eat or drink that enters into your blood stream is there for you to see. Having the ability to see this we would all think twice before we consume the foods we do. Our bodies are machines that work efficiently with the right chemistry. Food is really just a form of chemistry.

Unfortunately we can’t see our chemistry, but we all have the ability to feel. Seeing inside yourself is listening to what your body is feeling. The language of the body is feeling. Some people are so out of touch with their bodies they never feel what their bodies are telling them. They continue to consume harmful chemistry until it’s too late. I often ask myself does pleasure have to cost so much.

Living your best requires knowing what is best for your body. Each one of us requires a unique chemistry, a balance only you know. No doctor can know you like you. Learning the language of your body is to know the nutrition that creates your personal balance.

Next time you find yourself in pain because of something you ate or drank, ask yourself if the pleasure of the experience was worth it. Then consider other ways to enjoy life without hurting your chemistry.

Books by Christopher Emmanuel can be purchased at his Art Gallery in The Sunbreeze Hotel , Art of Touch, Pages Book Store, Black orchid Spa and Sol Spa.

San Pedro Lion’s Club spearheads the fundraising efforts to assist Japan Victims

Lions Club International Fund (LCIF), the day following the Japan disaster, issued a 1.2 million dollars grant equivalent to M100 Japanese yen. In a statement issued by Lion’s International President, Lions’ motto “We serve” was highlighted.
Lions International was among the first to respond to the disaster relieve efforts in Japan. Further correspondence stated that the LCIF remains committed to the immediate relief effort and long term reconstruction effort for as long as possible.
In that regards, all clubs are being called upon to start fundraising efforts for the Japan Appeal Fund. The San Pedro Lions Club on Monday morning launched their Japan appeal fund efforts. The Club’s aim is to raise a minimum of Bze$5,000.00. All four clubs within the country of Belize are tasked with the same goal, Bze$5,000.00.
Donations to the Japan relief fund can be made at the Atlantic Bank Account #:100030618 in the name of Japan Appeal Fund.
In addition to this account, on Sunday March 20, the San Pedro Lions will be holding an all day fundraiser at the San Pedro Lions Den. The general public is invited to this mega fundraising event. Every penny counts. No donation is too small or too large. Belize was a recipient of LCIF’s funds, as last year we received US$10,000.00 in the aftermath of Hurricane Richard, which provided much needed financial assistance to citizens affected.

Baby Jonathan needs your help

Jonathan Caliz was born to Virginia Caliz on January 21, 2011 at the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital (KHMH) in Belize City. At birth, he was diagnosed with Thrombocytopenia.

Thrombocytopenia, pronounced (THROM-bo-si-to-PE-ne-ah) is a condition in which your blood has a lower than normal number of blood cell fragments called platelets (PLATE-lets). Platelets are made in your bone marrow along with other kinds of blood cells. They travel through your blood vessels and stick together (clot) to stop any bleeding that may happen if a blood vessel is damaged.

The duration of this condition depends on its cause. It can range from days to years. Thrombocytopenia can be fatal, especially if the bleeding is severe or occurs in the brain. However, the overall outlook for individuals who have the condition is good, especially if the cause of the low platelet count is found and treated.

Jonathan Caliz was in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) at the KHMH for about a month after birth. In Belize he underwent Computerized Axial Tomography (CAT) scans, Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), ultrasound of the abdomen and blood transfusions. After being at the KHMH in the ICU and spending about 5 days on life support, doctors were unable to distinguish the cause of Baby Jonathan’s condition. As a result, it was suggested that baby Jonathan seek medical attention abroad. In an effort to obtain the medical attention needed at a more economic rate, the family has decided to take Baby Jonathan to neighboring Guatemala.

Initial tests have been performed on Baby Jonathan in Guatemala and while doctors have managed to stabilize Jonathan’s platelets count, his blood count has dropped drastically. To date, Jonathan’s medical expenses in Guatemala totaled an approximate US$20,000.00. This would only cover the diagnostic phase of the testing while maintaining Baby Jonathan stabilized.
To date, two fundraisers have been held, 1 Bar-B-Q sale at the Central Park; food sale organized by the Adventist Church. A portion of the proceeds from Super G children’s Disco organized by Ms. Debbie Spain has been pledged towards medical expenses of Baby Jonathan.

Virginia Caliz is making a formal plea to the general public for any financial assistance that could be made. An account has been set up at the Belize Bank. Donations can be made to Account#230421 in the name of Virginia Caliz. If you want to help in any form please contact Virginia at 605-4086.

American National suffers Jet skiing accident

A female American National, identified as Cara Bray, suffered a jet skiing accident in the waters of the Boca Chica area shortly before 11:30am.

According to her husband Jack Bray, they were on the jet ski, with Cara in the back seat, when they hit another jet ski in front of them. Bray explained that when he released the throttle gear to slow down the speed of the jet ski, he tried to swerve out of the way of the jet ski ahead of them, but was unable to avoid collision. Upon impact, Cara was flung off the ski and into the waters.

According to an eyewitness aboard the SP Water Jets Express boat heading in to San Pedro from Belize City, passengers saw an obviously injured Bray floating in the water. Those onboard the boat rendered assistance and ensured that Bray was transported to the San Pedro PolyClinic II.

According to Dr. Otto Rodriguez, attending physician, Bray was complaining of a severe pain in the back area. She was stabilized, and because the San Pedro PolyClinic II is not equipped to treat such an emergency, Bray was airlifted to Belize City for further medical attention.