Several members of Saint Lucia’s deaf and hearing-impaired community took part in a blood donation drive with the St. Lucia Blood Bank on January 24. The drive was hosted at the Lady Gordon Opportunity Centre in Ciceron, formerly the School for the Deaf and alma mater of most of the participants. This first of its kind initiative was jointly coordinated by the Deaf Ministries Department of the Castries SDA Church and the Society of the Deaf Club.
People who are deaf are often excluded from everyday activities, including charitable ones such as blood donation, because of communication challenges. In this case, the mandatory pre-donation questionnaire and interview facilitated by medical practitioners at the Blood Bank is virtually impossible without the use of an interpreter in Saint Lucia, as sign language is not a skill many professionals have acquired.
With this reality in mind Dale St. Juste spearheaded the initiative. St. Juste, who serves as the Officer in Charge of Special Education within the Ministry of Education, also leads the Deaf Ministries Department of the Castries SDA Church. The programme, also known as Deaf Ministries, is essentially a weekly church service for deaf and hearing-impaired individuals. During these services, several social issues and basic public service information often missed by hearing impaired members are discussed alongside spiritual lessons, leaving participants both informed and enlightened.
St. Juste noted that this drive served as an extension of the program and provided an opportunity for deaf individuals to access important health information about themselves.
“For the most part, deaf people have never donated blood, and many do not know their blood type,” he told St. Lucia Times in an exclusive interview. “Blood donation is a critical national service that is vital to the health sector. Given that blood stocks are often dangerously low, it is necessary for maximum possible participation in this activity,” he added.
Ultimately, St. Juste hopes this will be just one part of a larger effort to enable differently abled members of society to participate in everyday activities. He emphasised: “The deaf have a right to participate in all facets of life, and deserve to be included in experiences accessible to the average citizen. I would encourage all institutions and agencies to always ask whether their processes can be adjusted to include and accommodate persons with disabilities. I would also encourage the general public to engage the deaf when you meet them; it will surprise you that you can communicate even without knowing formal sign language. And, if you do have the opportunity, learn sign language.”
