The Tribune

By ALESHA CADET

Tribune Features Reporter

acadet@tribunemedia.net

Bahamian author Ghandi Thompson is on a mission to raise $10,000 for two people who are struggling to cover the costs associated with treatments of life-threatening medical conditions.

Ms Thompson has always enjoyed helping those in need, and with the launch of her new campaign, "Pies For A Pie", she hopes to make a real difference in the lives of Bahamians.

The campaign was created to assist girls and women in various aspects of their lives. Each year, a committee will select two recipients. The ongoing effort will include the sale of Little Debbie pies at the cost of $2 per pie, or $15 per box, as well as the sale of campaign pins. There will also be the promotion and a host of activities such as a movie night, a girls' night out and a gospel concert.

"I had this concept for a while but just procrastinated. I eventually shared my thoughts with a few friends and they kept following up with me. I finally decided to connect with like-minded females to accompany me on this journey, and we met, discussed and then launched the campaign. While the task at hand is great, it's not impossible. We are asking the wider community to connect and partner with us to help others in need," said Ms Thompson.

The recipients of this year's campaign are 12-year-old Iyanda Hilton, a student of the Queen's College who has sickle-cell anaemia, and Keithra Morley, a mother, wife and entrepreneur who suffers from an autoimmune disease.

"Iyanda recently had a bone marrow transplant and is in need of assistance for ancillary charges outside of the scope of her insurance policy, particularly her after-care. Also, since Keithra's diagnosis, doctors have ruled out lupus and are on a quest to determine which autoimmune disease has now affected her liver. Due to a barrage of tests, both locally and internationally, she has accumulated exorbitant medical bills which her family is unable to defray without financial intervention. The goal of this campaign is to raise $10,000 to assist," Ms Thompson told Tribune Health.

She believes life has a way of humbling you, and while you may be up one day, you can be down the next. If each person does a little, together they can do a lot, she said.

"We just never know what will come our way, and when we combine our efforts for a common goal, the impact can be much greater. This initiative allows Bahamians to assist two different females on a yearly basis that have a need. It is merely a way to give back or pay it forward," said Ms Thompson.