A Christmas to remember

This Christmas will be particularly special for 17-year-old Vere Technical High School student Jaylene Blake, and no one is prouder than her mother Natalie Dias, a cancer patient who said God has been answering her prayers by keeping her alive to celebrate her children’s accomplishments.

Jaylene, who is one-half of a twin and resident of May Pen in Clarendon, was recently awarded a $400,000 scholarship by the James and Friends Education Programme operating in the parish. Half of the money will go towards her schooling, while the rest is to provide groceries and supplies for her family. Additionally, the family was given a Christmas shopping spree valued at $25,000.

The family has expressed immense gratitude for the grant, sharing that since they lost their father to a brain tumour five years ago, Blake’s mother has been finding it difficult to take care of the teenage girls and her three-year-old son. Each day is a hassle, the cancer warrior told The Sunday Gleaner.

“I’m a single parent and I’m also a cancer survivor, and things have been very hard for us. Despite everything, I cannot stop them from school at any time; they just love school and they are very hard workers,” explained Dias of her inseparable twins, who are sixth-formers at Vere Technical High.

“They are always telling me, ‘Mommy, we need to make you proud of us’. That is what they put in my head, and I always try to send them to school, even when I don’t know where it will come from,” said the Christian, noting that it is only through God that the family makes ends meet.

“My daughters are just from school to home. Sometimes I have to tell them to go on the verandah and take some breeze because they are all about their books,” the proud mom chuckled.

The cheque was presented to Jaylene during a special ceremony at the school recently, and her loving twin sister Justine was right beside her to share in the excitement and blessings.

‘I HAD TO FIGHT’

Three years ago, after delivering her son, Dias said she started feeling pain and experiencing heavy bleeding. It was a frightening ordeal, as the woman sought help from various medical professionals to ascertain what was happening with her body.

Soon after, she was diagnosed with cancer of the womb, a revelation that cast a plume of worry over the already hard-pressed family.

“I am a God person and when I was diagnosed, I just decided that I would not give up. I said, ‘God, can You just spare me some more time so I can get to see them grow?’ All along they have been telling me that they want to make me proud so I knew that I had to fight,” she said.

“I came down to zero – almost as slim as my hand. I have been on so many machines, I have done chemo, radiation; sometimes I just didn’t know myself. Sometimes I felt as if I was leaving them, and I had to call on God for help. Things are getting better with His help, however,” Dias said, recalling her excitement when she was told that her daughter had received the scholarship.

When she spoke to The Sunday Gleaner, Jaylene, who is hoping to become a dental surgeon, had been preparing for a physics examination. It was not her favourite subject but she said, as usual, she had prepared and was going into it without fear.

Speaking about the scholarship, she said words cannot express her gratitude.

“I am feeling very very blessed, and very grateful for this scholarship. Apart from the money for schooling, the extra food for the house is a very big plus for us this Christmas and I am extremely happy about that,” noted an excited Jaylene, adding that she had the opportunity to connect with Anna Chang-Liao, co-owner of the National Self-Serve Wholesale, the main sponsor.

Jaylene put to rest any concerns about her sister not being awarded a scholarship this time around.

“You have to understand the type of twins we are. We celebrate each other,” she explained, noting that a year ago, her sister won a scholarship, which paid for her graduation expenses, gown and outfits, and a ride to her ball.

“This scholarship will benefit both of us and we are very loving so there is no problem where that is concerned.”

A CHRISTMAS SURPRISE GIFT

Otis James, founder of the James and Friends Education Programme, described the scholarship as a Christmas surprise gift for the family, noting that Jaylene was a high achiever and was decidedly selected by her peers and teachers for the award.

The funds, he said, will go towards her sixth-form tuition fees, and she will also be getting supplies from the National Self-Serve Wholesale every month for two years.

“She was selected as a top performer. The school has her as a mannerable, hard-working individual and especially based on her situation involving her father. The foundation also wanted to assist because of what her mother has been going through with her illness,” said James, noting that the charity has several other projects lined up for the Christmas season in Clarendon, including taking six homeless persons shopping.

“A lot of teenagers down here are getting pregnant, and some are behind bars. I know more than 20 youths who are behind bars right now, simply because they didn’t get the help,” he said, noting that even after they return from prison, they find it hard to get a job because of their criminal record. “So if we can save them from now, we can prevent that problem in the long run.”

“The foundation has given out about eight scholarships for Christmas and we have several other projects working on – building houses, setting up shops, and so on. That way, some people can help themselves to send their children back to school come January,” the philanthropist told The Sunday Gleaner.

“I have been doing this for 19 years and I have not been recognised for my efforts, even though that is not the goal. So who is going to recognise these people who have no access to anything? That is why I keep doing this. For them.”

Businesswoman Chang Liao said she was elated to assist Jaylene and her family and promised more assistance if the girls remained steadfast in their academic pursuits.

“It is my pleasure to help the people of Clarendon because they have been supporting my business for years. I love to see the youths do well with their education also, because that is the only way to keep them out of trouble,” Chang Liao told The Sunday Gleaner.

corey.robinson@gleanerjm.com