Save a life by Shaggy and Friends

Shaggy and Friends raise $27m for children's hospital

Published: Friday | January 9, 2009

Krista Henry, Staff Reporter


Entertainer Orville 'Shaggy' Burrell hugs Dr Lisa-Ann Berry-McDowell at a press conference at the Bustamante Hospital for Children in St Andrew yesterday, while other staff members await their embrace. - photos by Ricardo Makyn/Staff Photographer

As Dr Lambert Innis, head of the Department of Anaesthesia and Intensive Care at the Bustamante Hospital for Children, approached the microphone to address the media gathered at the hospital yesterday, Orville 'Shaggy' Burrell shouted from the back of the room, "Give him something to stand on!"

The diminutive doctor, dressed in a white coat with a stethoscope around his neck, replied with glee, "Today, I am tall enough."

Standing just over five feet tall, Innis' pride was mountain high as he shared the moment with Burrell, who announced that his benefit concert at Jamaica House last Saturday had raised $27 million for the ailing hospital.

Among other things, the money will be used to buy life-saving equipment such as ventilators.

DENT MADE

While the money raised may be a long way from the goal of US$2 million (J$160 million), Shaggy said it has assisted in making a "dent" in the needs of the hospital. Equally important, he added, was the awareness the concert created.

According to Shaggy, 290 silver tickets were sold at $5,000 each, 961 gold tickets at $10,000 each, 201 platinum tickets at $20,000 each, and 22 children's tickets at $2,500 each for the highly successful concert.

An auction, which was held before the concert, raised $1.5 million, while the overall cost of producing the event was $8 million. Shaggy also made special mention of Coca-Cola, which pledged $2 million directly to the hospital and gave another $1 million for the production of the concert.

Shaggy also stressed that pledges were still outstanding from various organisations, as well as from persons locally and internationally, to the Shaggy Make A Difference Foundation.

Innis said thousands of children's lives will be transformed by the work that Burrell has done.