Vol 1: And so it begins…
For nearly a decade, The Bahamas has been soberingly ranked as the sixth most obese country in the entire world. Nearly 72% of the Bahamian population is considered overweight and 44% are considered obese. The ramifications of this are far-reaching and cannot be overstated. Consequentially we have the highest incidence of diabetes globally and rank seventh in the world in deaths attributable to high blood pressure.
Unfortunate as they are, however, these statistics have been made available to the Bahamian public at large for years with little to no effect. Statistics may not lie but they also don’t permeate the psyche as powerfully as individual human stories seem to do. The kind of stories that I hear in my office on a daily basis.
Being able to personify or put a face on a medical condition inherently resonates with many people. Throughout my career I’ve learned foremost that being successful as a physician requires one to not only diagnose the presenting ailment correctly and prescribe the appropriate medication, but it also requires the absolute cultivation of health – treatment of the cause and not just the symptom.
The KDK report seeks to abbreviate this by presenting these admittedly important statistics but from a human outlook. All in an effort to elucidate the impact of various health concerns, inculcate that no one is immune to illness and also provide hope that with early and proper treatment, good outcomes are often attained.
Several years ago, while shopping, my mom ran into a very close friend and colleague from work. They chatted for a few short moments and agreed to meet with his wife and kids for lunch at a restaurant located in the same parking lot. He left and after paying for her items, she followed him to the restaurant where they agreed to meet. By the time she arrived, a mere 10 minutes after they spoke, he was dead. He suffered a fatal massive heart attack immediately after ordering his food.
Years later when telling the story, my mother is still visibly shaken by this preventable sudden loss and I’ve never forgotten it. She still recalls how happy and full of life he seemed. I imagine he had so many plans left in life to achieve; so many desultory chores he felt he’d have time to complete. As a husband and father, I imagine the enormity of who would be there to take care of his family emotionally and financially, if only momentarily, entered his subconscious. So many trips left untaken. Future grandchildren to play with. It is a life that was ultimately and tragically cut too short.
My intention is to share these types of stories with my readers every Monday with direct information from family members on details of what happened that day leading up to the incident and immediately thereafter. I also plan to provide medical information from various local and international physicians about (current and future) treatment options and discuss weight loss and exercise tips with some of the country’s leading fitness experts.
A whistle past the graveyard posturing with regards to health can have dire consequences. Starting today, exclusively in The Tribune, please join me in this journey to help save lives.
This is The KDK Report.
