National Rugby Player Needs $20K For Heart Surgery

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BVI Platinum News

(PLTM) - National Rugby Player, Kenrick Thomas, 23, is in need of $20,000 to assist with heart surgery in Puerto Rico.

Thomas said on Sunday that he is hoping to undergo the surgery sometime towards the ending of January 2021.

“I have a hole in my heart,” he said.

According to him, he did not know of his condition until this year. He said an injury that occurred during rugby training was what revealed his serious condition.

“I had it since I was born, but I never noticed it until this year when I broke my ribs at the beginning of the year in rugby training. I was recovering, and then I felt the pain, I had felt it over the time I had been training, but I always thought it was because I didn’t give my body rest that and I was overtraining, so I never really listened to it.”

A trip to the doctor confirmed the worst.

“If I had taken a few more years, it would have been worse for me,” he said.

Despite his injuries, Thomas who is also an employee of Republic Bank is in high spirits and is pleased that his colleagues at CrossFit and Rugby have teamed up to try to raise the critical funds for his surgery.

“I didn’t expect so many people to come together and dedicate so much time and effort. This is deep, I didn’t expect it,” he said in awe of the beach day which doubled up as a fundraiser for him at the Brandywine Bay beach on Sunday.

Thomas said, despite him being a Dominican Republic national, he has lived in the Territory for most of his life and has represented the territory abroad as a national rugby player.

In the meantime, President of the BVI Rugby Team, Mr. Niall Brooks said the team was happy to help out Thomas in attaining the $20,000 that is needed.

He explained that 80 percent of the cost is taken carae of by the National Health Insurance (NHI) but Thomas would have to get the remaining 20 percent which would amount to the $20,000 that is needed.

He said the surgery would be done in a Puerto Rican hospital.

“It’s not just the surgery; it’s the cost of the accommodation, the flights to Puerto Rico and the ancillary costs as well,” Brooks informed.

He said all proceeds of this event would go towards Thomas’ medical expenses.

He said there is also a gofund me page set up for the cause as well as a dinner scheduled for December 5 also to raise funds which will hopefully bring them to the total required.

Following the planned dinner, Brooks said, the Ruby team will continue to raise funds, half of which would go to charity.

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