Grenadian doctor to become first recipient of transplant surgery in Guyana

Dr. Germaine Bristol, a Grenadian doctor, who was diagnosed with kidney disease while attending medical school in the United Kingdom in 2012, will become the first recipient of a kidney transplant being performed in Guyana.

The doctor whose son, Gerron Bristol, will be the donor of a kidney, told News Room Guyana that she was overwhelmed with pride, love, and appreciation for what he was doing for her. She added, that this was a gift she never expected to receive.

“To be here with my only son getting ready for this surgery, is overwhelming,” she repeated.

Bristol who received treatment in England and has been on dialysis for the past nine years without any hope in sight, said Grenada was not equipped with specialty doctors. The medical professional was fortunate to be selected for the surgery after Dr. Kishore Persaud, a Guyanese, traveled to that country on a medical outreach program recently.

Fortunately for her, after receiving an examination, she qualified for the treatment, and was quickly approved by Dr. Persaud to travel to the republic to have the procedure done.

Bristol explained that presently, her country has no transplant services. “At present, we only have one privately owned Hemodialysis Unit, but we are in the process of opening a new Dialysis Unit at the General Hospital.”

“By the time I get back home, that should be up and running, but we have no transplant services available,” Dr. Bristol explained.

Dr. Persaud, who is the lead surgeon on the medical team, is confident that Bristol will lead a normal life after receiving the kidney from her 19-year old son.

He called the surgery a huge milestone for Guyana, a third-world developing country, offering top medical care like this, to a citizen of a first world country.

Former  Minister of Health, Dr. Leslie Ramsammy took to social media to express his pride in the work being done by the department.

“For the first time, a patient from a CARICOM country will be a recipient of a kidney in Guyana. We have come a long way. This was unthinkable when I became minister.

“People said impossible. We successfully did. It is great to see the Caribbean recognizing our progress as a country.

“Congratulations Dr. Kishore and team,” Ramsammy wrote in his Facebook post.

Another transplant operation will be performed on June 20, according to News Room Guyana.