Sophia’s dream comes true - Three years after woman makes wish, Sanmerna delivers wheelchair
Published:Monday | June 8, 2020 | 12:26 AMPaul Clarke/Gleaner Writer
Three years ago, Waterhouse resident Sophia Sutherland requested a motorised wheelchair to help her to get around the community.
Last Friday, her dream came true and tears were, for a moment, the only language she could find to express her unbridled joy.
Aged 34, Sutherland has used a wheelchair all her life. She was born with both legs deformed.
Sanmerna, a local paper-product manufacturer, through its foundation and in tandem with the JUTC and non-profit Inspire to Empower, handed Sutherland her “dream chair”, valued at US$8,000 (J$1.15 million), at a brief ceremony at the Half-Way Tree Transport Centre.
The chair is operable for 24 hours on full charge.
Sutherland was elated with the gift. For a moment, she said nothing as tears flowed down her cheeks.
“Right now, I don’t have enough words to say how much it is appreciated,” Sutherland said after test-driving her wheelchair.
For years, Sutherland said, she has been struggling with manoeuvring the manual wheelchair that left her hands blistered and muscles strained.
“I used to go everywhere wheeling myself around Waterhouse, and God knows sometimes I get so tired that I would cry. Now, it will be different,” said Sutherland.
In 2017, at another Sanmerna Foundation event, Sutherland had sought help from the company’s directors to address her “greatest need” at the time. It took them three years, but she said it was worth the wait.
Sanmerna Foundation President Viris Clarke-Ellis said it was just a matter of time for the foundation to grant Sutherland’s wish.
“Today, we are delivering care packages to disabled children, and this is how we show Sophia we care. She had asked us a few years ago for this, and we are just delighted to be able to do it,” Clarke-Ellis noted.
“We are reaching out to our disabled community because they tend to be forgotten sometimes. ... We have built a relationship with them over the years,” she added.
Brothers Mark and Robert Whyte own the paper-manufacturing company and are directors.
They told The Gleaner that granting Sutherland her wish gives them the ultimate pleasure.
“This is definitely what philanthropy is about: giving back to the community. Today, we are very happy to have made Sophia happy also,” Robert said.
“Her tears were tears of joy. It is the role we want to continue pursuing doing by sharing some of our blessings with others who are less fortunate,” he said.