A ’SPECIAL place’ and hospital heaven was how UK Foreign Office Minister Baroness Glenys Kinnock described the Just Because Foundation (JBF) Specialty Unit at the Eric Williams Medical Sciences Complex (EWMSC), Mt Hope during a visit yesterday.

’I think it is a very special place.’

Baroness Kinnock, visiting the country as one of the delegates for the Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting in Port of Spain at the weekend, praised the work of the Foundation, a non-governmental organisation that transformed a vacant ward at the Wendy Fitzwilliam Paediatric Hospital into a state-of-the art paediatric cancer ward aimed at providing children afflicted with cancer with the best possible medical care and support.

When the Baroness arrived last evening she was greeted with the sounds of steelpan from the kids of Don Ross Private School.

She then met children dressed in brightly coloured costumes sponsored by Rosalind Gabriel Children’s Band, starting with two masqueraders dressed as canary yellow and black butterflies. She also met seven-year-old oncology patient Shakira Robinson who wore a red and black ’National Peacock’ outfit, and hand in hand they continued the first part of the tour.

’Everytime I come around the corner I see something beautiful,’ said Baroness Kinnock.

The Foundation’s co-founder Noel Joseph, who showed the Baroness the parent room, kitchenette and other areas, noted that it was the only family-centred paediatric unit in the Caribbean focusing on holistic treatment, including counselling for parents. He said the unit, which currently housed 21 children, also had as patients children from other countries in the Caribbean.

Joseph began the foundation with his wife Chevaughn in August 2007 in honour of their late son Jabez ’B’ Joseph who succumbed to Alveolar Rhabdomyosarcoma (a rare form of childhood cancer) at age of five.

The Baroness was also treated to a performance of folk songs by the Curepe RC School parang group and a stirring rendition of US pop star Miley Cyrus’ ’The Climb’ by 19-year-old bone cancer patient Jeaneen Roberts, who is missing her right leg.

The Baroness commended Roberts and the other patients on their strength, fortitude and guts, and described them as an inspiration. She also described the unit as ’a wonderful fusing of family and care for the children’.

The Baroness also delivered some teddy bears, courtesy British Prime Minister Gordon Brown and his wife -- 10 Downing Street was the address on the bears’ t-shirt.