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Bermuda's Health Support Groups

A wide range for a small island of only 21 square miles

By Keith Archibald Forbes (see About Us) exclusively for Bermuda Online

To refer by e-mail to this file use "bermuda-online.org/healthsupportgroups.htm" as your Subject

See also Bermuda's Hospitals by the same author.

For people who have to live with disabilities or problems or both, their immediate caregivers and too often for survivors, including family, friends, co-workers or classmates, a strong support network is an essential part of good physical, mental and spiritual health. Hospitals, professional care facilities, civic organizations, churches and now the Internet offer a wide array of support functions and kindred friendship.  Website links and email addresses will be shown gladly once reriprocated.

RC means Registered Bermuda Charity.

Part 1

Part 2

Bermuda Health Insurance Association (BHIA)	P. O. Box HM 1007, Hamilton. Established in 1970 with the enactment of The Hospital Insurance Act 1970 and its Regulations. It requires every employer and every self employed person together with a non working spouse to be insured for at least minimum benefits. An employer may insure these legal obligations either through the Bermuda Government's Department of Social Insurance or with a private insurer if an approved and registered member of HIAB. Good employers have major medical coverage. Members meet regularly with the Hospital Insurance Commission (which enforces the Hospital Insurance Act) and Bermuda Medical Society on matters concerning insurance health care. The Bermuda Government has a Health Care Advisory Committee with members governing the administration of Bermuda's hospitals, Bermuda Medical Society, Health Insurance Association of Bermuda, Hospital Insurance Commission and Bermuda Chamber of Commerce.
Bermuda Hearing Services	Mechanics Building, 12 Church Street, Hamilton HM 11. P.O. Box DV 300, Devonshire DV BX. Phone (441) 292-4331 Fax: (441) 292-4332.
Bermuda Heart Foundation	For coronary incidence, treatment and prevention. P. O. Box HM 1993, Hamilton, HM HX. Telephone (441) 295 3346. Fax: (441) 295-5371. A registered charity, 1996. The major player in arranging the funding for critically important life saving heart related equipment for the hospital, supported by health professionals. Board meetings are on the 3rd Thursday each month. Board of Directors include Dr. Shane Marshall, MD, FRCPC; Norma Smith, RN; Dr. Marion Watlington, MD; Jessica Wade. Goals are equipment, building, direct services, education.
Bermuda Hospitals Board Charitable Trust	P. O. Box HM 444, Hamilton HM BX. Has its own Executive Director but under management of the Bermuda Hospitals Board.
Bermuda Islands Association for the Deaf (BIAD)	P. O. Box HM 1749, Hamilton HM GX. Phone Marie Binns at 297-0749 or email biad@therock.bm. It provides assistance to the hearing impaired and educates parents and population about deaf culture to help remove social barriers. RC 168
Bermuda Mental Health Foundation	3rd Floor, Richmond House, 12 Par-la-Ville Road, Hamilton HM 12. Phone 292-3434 extension 3476. Fax 292-0865. Founded 1944. A non-profit volunteer private enterprise working with St. Brendan's Hospital staff. Originally chaired by Lady Waddington when founded in 1994. One of the directors is Louie Grant. Registered charity 394.
Bermuda Physically Handicapped Association (BPHA)	A registered charity. Base Gate, 1 South Side, St. David's Island, DD 03. Or the postal address at P.O. Box HM 8, Hamilton HM AX, Bermuda. For information, call Willard Fox, handicapped and wheelchair bound, at 293-5034 Monday to Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. or 293-8148 after 5:00 p.m. Or fax him at (441) 293-5036.
Bermuda Red Cross	8 Berry Hill Road, Paget. P. O. Box HM 772, Hamilton HM CX, Bermuda. Administrative Office telephone 236-8253 or fax 236 8267. Administrator is Ann Spencer-Arscott  at 236 6768. It has monthly meetings. Blood Donor Center, hospital (441) 236 5067 (fax 236 2272). Hospital equipment rental (441) 236 2345 extension 1486. A volunteer organization, made up of public spirited individuals, many of them retired from regular jobs. They perform duties which in Bermuda are private sector. Community minded members help thousands of patients visit the hospital for diabetes, stroke or heart treatment by driving them free in their own private cars. Members pick up diabetes or kidney treatment or heart or stroke survivors by pre-arrangement.  They pay for their own gasoline.

Part 3

Bermuda Riding for the Disabled	For the disabled who can ride horses with assistance. At Windreach, 57 Spice Hill Road, Warwick WK 03. Telephone (441) 238-7433. Fax (441) 238-7434.
Bermuda Schizophrenia Society	Meets first Tuesday each month at St. Brendan's Hospital, 7 pm. Call Gina Davis at 292-5613. Registered charity 307
Bermuda Society for the Blind	Beacon House, 3 Brunswick Street, Hamilton HM 12. Phone 292-3231, or 292-4177. Founded by Lady Gladys Hall. Monday to Friday, 9 am to 4 pm. 51 years old in 2002 and has been at Beacon House for 40 years. It promotes the welfare, education and employment of the sight-impaired or visually disabled, through a special day care program. Blind people make baskets, stools, trivets and hampers which the Society sells to the public. Registered charity 090.
Bermuda Special Olympics	45 Church Street, Hamilton HM 12. P.O. Box HM 2233, Hamilton HM JX. Fax (441)-292-1269
Bermuda Stroke & Family Support Association	Support, help, advice, encouragement (but no financial support) to assist Bermudian and Bermuda-based stroke survivors of all ages and backgrounds and families affected by stroke. Not an international-type stroke association, as it has no membership dues, takes no minutes, has no structured agenda or board of management from the membership. Meets on the third Wednesday night each month at 7 pm at King Edward VII Memorial Hospital. Telephone D. Mark Selley, Chairman, at 293-3121. Or write to him at "Seven Seas" #6 Rock Garden Lane, Harrington Hundreds Road, Smiths FL04, Bermuda. Phone 293-3121. RC 361.
Bermuda Tuberculosis, Cancer & Health Association	46 Point Finger Road, Paget. P. O. Box HM 1652, Hamilton HM FX. Phone 236-0949. Website tbcancer.bm. RC 070. Since 1945, founded to assist patients fighting TB. It educates the community about prevention and early detection of cancer. It conducts 75% of all mammograms. It educates and supports diabetic and ostomy patients. It provides storage of all X-ray and related health-condition films required from non-Bermudians by Immigration. Cancer is the second leading cause of death in Bermuda, and the island has a higher cancer mortality rate when compared to the United States, one of the disturbing findings of the 2004 Cancer in Bermuda Study. The co-author of the study, Dr. Frederic Dellaire, said the study compared the incidence of cancer in Bermuda and in the United States. Bermuda had a 45 percent higher mortality rate for all cancer "sites" than the US and the mortality for prostrate cancer was 2.65 times higher in Bermuda despite a comparable incidence rate. Dr. Dellaire cautioned: "The differences between the two countries must be viewed with caution. Nevertheless, it seemed likely that the mortality rate for prostrate cancer, pancreas cancer, ovarian cancer and breast cancer were higher in Bermuda." Some other key findings of the report were: 25 percent of all deaths in Bermuda were attributed to cancer in 2005. Cancer rates in white women were found to be higher in Bermuda. In whites, the specific cancer types that had a higher rate in Bermuda when compared to the United States included; oral cavity cancer, melanoma, colorectal cancer (in females) and breast cancer. In blacks, the specific cancer types that had a higher rate in Bermuda when compared to the United States included: oral cavity cancer (in males), and ovarian cancer. Lung and colorectal cancers had lower rates in blacks from Bermuda when compared to blacks from the US. Recognized risk factors for oral cavity cancer are tobacco use, alcohol consumption and a diet poor in fruits and vegetables. The most common types of cancer in Bermuda include (in descending order) prostate, breast, colon and rectum, lung and bronchus, and skin. On the positive side, Bermuda's women reported good screening practices. In 2006, 84 percent of women over 35 reported having had a mammogram, and 72 percent had had it in the previous year. Similarly, 96 percent of women reported having had a Pap test, and 74 percent confirmed they had a Pap test the previous year. Men, as the trend is globally, are slightly less proactive, but the 2006 self-reports are positive, with 75 percent of men over 40 saying they'd had a PSA test (56 percent in the previous year); and 77 percent of men over 40 said they'd had a digital rectal exam (DRE), with 60 percent in the previous year.
Bermuda War Veterans Association	Registered charity 140. All surviving members are senior citizens
Bermuda War Veterans Commissioners	The men whose interests they represent are all senior citizens. See Bermuda Government Boards

Cardiac Resource Group (CRG)

Not a registered charity but active since 1995, open to the public most Monday nights from 7:00 pm to 8:45 pm at the Health Centre, Hamilton. Contact Reginald White at 236-4840 (e-mail rjwhite@ibl.bm) or Doris Bailey at 236-3521 after work (e-mail baileyd@northrock.bm). Formed by a group of recovering heart patients as a support group for anyone trying to learn about and benefit from a better medically recommended lifestyle, especially as one out of every two local residents is at high risk for heart disease. It helps in the prevention and treatment of risk factors such as high blood pressure (systolic should be 140 or below and diastolic should be 90 or below, with average being 122 over 80 to 180 over 80 at work and 114 over 80 to 140 over 80 at hard play); high blood cholesterol; stress; need to lose weight and more. CRG accepts contributions to defray expenses, about $2 per person per meeting. It does not give professional medical advice. Instead, it motivates, supports, encourages and helps members to follow the advice of relevant health professionals. 

Part 4

Part 5

Part 6

Part 7

Part 8