Hope Foundation

05/10/2025

🌟 Presenter Spotlight: Dr. Cindy Flower, MBBS, DM

We’re honored to have Dr. Cindy Flower serve as moderator at the upcoming Rheumatology & Musculoskeletal Medical Conference.

📌 Session: “Understanding Rheumatoid Arthritis”
As a senior associate lecturer at UWI Cave Hill and the physician who established Barbados’ first rheumatology clinic in 1997, Dr. Flower has been pivotal in advancing care for patients with lupus and other rheumatic diseases.

She is a Fellow of the American College of Rheumatology, the American College of Physicians, and the Royal College of Physicians — and continues to shape the field through teaching, research, and patient advocacy.

🗓 Saturday, Oct 11, 2025
📍 Ross University School of Medicine, Barbados
⏰ 9 AM – 12:30 PM

👉 Don’t miss this chance to learn from Dr. Flower and other distinguished experts. Register now via the link in bio.

04/10/2025

Sneak peek into what’s ahead!

On Saturday, Oct 11, 2025, we bring together leading rheumatologists and specialists from Barbados, Trinidad, and the USA for the Hope Foundation’s Breakfast Medical Seminar on Rheumatology & Musculoskeletal Diseases.

✔️ CME-accredited
✔️ Expert-led sessions on RA, PsA, Lupus, Osteoarthritis & Gout
✔️ Networking with colleagues in a collegial breakfast setting

📍 Ross University School of Medicine, Two Mile Hill, Barbados
🕘 9:00 AM – 12:30 PM

👉 Tap the link in bio to register today and be part of this important conversation.

23/09/2025

🩺 Does your doctor know about this?
On Oct 11, 2025, Ross University School of Medicine and the Hope Foundation are hosting a Breakfast Medical Seminar on Rheumatic & Musculoskeletal Diseases.

✨ CME credits will be awarded
🥐 Breakfast included

📌 If you’re a doctor, nurse, or medical student – don’t miss it.
📌 If you’re a patient or supporter, please share this with your doctor so they don’t miss this important event.

📅 Saturday, Oct 11 | 9:00 AM – 12:30 PM
📍 Ross University School of Medicine, Two Mile Hill, St. Michael, Barbados

👉 Register Now to secure a spot! https://hopefoundbarbados.civi-go.net/civicrm/event/register?id=16&reset=1

22/09/2025

📢 Breakfast Medical Seminar
Join us for a half-day session on Managing Rheumatic & Musculoskeletal Diseases (RMDs).

🗓 October 11, 2025
🕘 9:00 AM – 12:30 PM
📍 Ross University School of Medicine, Two Mile Hill, St. Michael, Barbados

✨ Why Attend?
✔️ Learn how to tackle diagnostic & management delays in RMDs
✔️ Explore sociocultural & lifestyle factors affecting care
✔️ Gain insights from Rheumatologists from Trinidad, USA & Barbados

🎓 CME credits will be awarded

👉 Register now and be part of this important discussion on improving outcomes for patients with RMDs.

28/06/2025

🍽️ Did you know that what you eat can directly impact how your body handles autoimmune disease?

TOMORROW, join us at the Lupus and Arthritis Medical Forum and hear from Kerri-Ann Best, a Registered Dietician with over 11 years of clinical experience and advanced training in diabetes and medical nutrition therapy.

📍 Sunday, June 29, 2025
🕘 8:30 AM – 1 PM
📍 Radisson Aquatica Resort, Bridgetown
💸 Free entry – Registration required!

Kerri-Ann will dive into how nutrition influences chronic illness and how Barbadians can make better food choices to improve long-term health outcomes. With degrees from SUNY and the University of South Wales, and current doctoral work with Rutgers University, she brings deep insight and a practical, culturally relevant approach to food and wellness.

🧠 Plus: Hear from other experts on kidney disease, skin involvement, reproductive health, pain, and more — with live Q&As at the end of each session.

🔗 Space is limited. Register now to attend:
📧 [email protected] | 📱 256-5065 | ☎️ 437-8781

27/06/2025

✨ Did you know that lupus and arthritis can affect more than just joints and skin? They can also impact the kidneys — often silently.

📍 Sunday, June 29, 2025
🕘 8:30 AM – 1 PM
📍 Radisson Aquatica Resort, Bridgetown

Meet Andwele Waldron, a third-year MBBS student at the University of the West Indies, who will speak on “Kidney Disease in Lupus and Arthritis.” With a strong interest in internal medicine and patient education, Andwele will share how these conditions affect kidney function, and what patients and caregivers need to know for early detection and better outcomes.

🧠 Expect powerful presentations on lupus, arthritis, kidney health, nutrition and wellness — plus live Q&As with every expert.

🔗 Admission is free but spaces are limited. Reserve your seat today:
📧 [email protected] | 📱 256-5065 | ☎️ 437-8781

25/06/2025

✨ For the first time, arthritis takes centre stage alongside lupus at the Hope Foundation’s Lupus and Arthritis Medical Forum — a must-attend event for anyone living with or caring for someone with these chronic illnesses.

📍 Sunday, June 29, 2025
🕘 8:30 AM – 1 PM
📍 Radisson Aquatica Resort, Bridgetown

Meet Dr. Melissa Boyce, one of our featured speakers and a Senior Registrar in Internal Medicine at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital. With a deep passion for Rheumatology and a commitment to advancing care for patients with autoimmune conditions, Dr. Boyce will share medical insights and practical strategies to support those affected by lupus and arthritis.

🧠 Expect powerful presentations on lupus, arthritis, kidney health, nutrition, pain management, and reproductive wellness — plus live Q&As with every expert.

🔗 Admission is free but spaces are limited. Secure your seat today:
📧 [email protected] | 📱 256-5065 | ☎️ 437-8781

24/06/2025

✨ For the first time, arthritis takes centre stage alongside lupus at the Hope Foundation’s Lupus and Arthritis Medical Forum — a must-attend event for anyone living with or caring for someone with these chronic illnesses.

📍 Sunday, June 29, 2025
🕘 8:30 AM – 1 PM
📍 Radisson Aquatica Resort, Bridgetown

Meet Dr. Shanika Russell, one of our featured speakers, who will discuss skin involvement in lupus and arthritis. With her compassionate care and deep expertise in dermatology, she’ll be shedding light on how these illnesses affect the skin and what can be done.

🧠 Expect powerful presentations on lupus, arthritis, kidney health, nutrition, pain management, and reproductive wellness — plus live Q&As with every expert.

🔗 Admission is free but spaces are limited. Secure your seat today:
📧 [email protected] | 📱 256-5065 | ☎️ 437-8781

19/06/2025

19/06/2025

🩸 World Sickle Cell Day 2025
“One Letter, One Life”

A single base-pair mutation—just one letter out of 3 million—can change the course of a person’s life. For those living with sickle cell disease, that change can mean unimaginable pain, missed milestones, and a constant fight for stability.

But it also means resilience. Love. Courage. And a story that deserves to be heard.

Today, we honour warriors like Shakira Franklin, who live with grace and strength in the face of daily challenges. Her words remind us of the power of support systems—family, friends, teachers, doctors—and the deep importance of being seen and heard in the healthcare system.

In Barbados and across the globe, we need better access to care, stronger policy, and compassionate, informed communities. The cure is not just medical—it’s also emotional, social, and collective.

🧡 Let’s stand with those living with Sickle Cell Disease.
🧡 Let’s fight for care, awareness, and equity.
🧡 Let’s be the cure.