Grenadian Humanitarian Worker “Amazed” By Health City Cayman Islands

A nurse who works in some of most difficult parts of the world experienced a very different type of care when she chose Health City Cayman Islands for her medical needs.

Marguerite Sheriff, from Grenada, volunteers for the humanitarian aid charity Doctors Without Borders. She is a sexual and reproductive health manager who trains midwives in developing countries to deliver infants safely and to care for mothers and babies.

While in Swaziland, Sheriff learned she needed medical attention for a painful shoulder injury. Ironically, her injury was not the result of the demanding work she performs for Doctors Without Borders, also known by its French name Médecins Sans Frontières, which was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1999.

“I was playing netball when I felt a twinge in my shoulder,” she recalled.  Her pain and discomfort increased when she continued handling heavy packages and eventually she realized there were a lot of things she was unable to do: “I couldn’t lift my hand up and I couldn’t cut my hair.”

A doctor confirmed it was a rotator cuff injury that needed shoulder surgery before Sheriff could resume her work. Fortunately, she had good insurance and Dr. Joseph McAuley of Grenada knew of the surgical services available at Health City Cayman Islands.

Even seasoned healthcare professionals are known to experience trepidation at the thought of receiving care from an unfamiliar source, but Sheriff’s concerns were quickly put to rest.

“I went for Cayman and I haven’t regretted it. When I corresponded with the international desk there, Madu (Madhumita Sarkar), who responded to my question, was on the ball and arranged everything,” said Sheriff.

“Everything went perfect. From the time I got to the airport, the immigration said to me, ‘Oh you’re here for Health City’. That was quite amazing. The driver was there with my name. Everything just went more than I expected. Much, much more than I expected.”

Working with Doctors Without Borders in remote war-torn areas under emergency conditions, she was not expecting much as she set out for Grand Cayman. “I wasn’t thinking five star. When I got here it went far beyond my expectation(s). It was amazing. I’m very, very happy.”

Sheriff was eager to return to work in the field but was worried about follow-up and physical therapy from her home in Grenada or with Doctors Without Borders in Myanmar.

She was delighted to learn Health City had a protocol enabling patients in other countries to be directly in touch with the orthopedic surgeon and hospital therapists using Skype. “I can go back to sports eventually. Everything will return to normal. It will take about six months … I’m looking forward to returning to a normal life.”

Dr. Niranjan Nagaraja, Senior Orthopedic Surgeon at Health City Cayman Islands who performed the surgery using the latest arthroscopic techniques, said Skype was an important tool  to assess the patient and, simultaneously, build patient confidence.

Sheriff noted the surgery and recovery expense at Health City Cayman Islands was about half of what it would have been in the United States. Her positive attitude and successful surgery allowed her to take a tour of the island within 24 hours of the operation.