Dapper tea party guests (from left) Mark Wilson, Dr Kennedy Swaratsingh and Dr Warren Holmes.

The gardens at “Ben Mar”, official residence of British High Commissioner Janet Douglas, were the backdrop for an elegant tea party last weekend.

Women were decked out in eye-catching fancy hats, which were matched by the dapper dress of the men who also supported the fundraising event for the Caribbean Ophthalmology Research Alliance (CORA).

Not occupying too much party time with speeches, founder of CORA, consultant ophthalmologist, oculoplastic and reconstructive surgeon, Barbadian Dr Kim Jebodhsingh, said: “I think it is important for Barbados and the Caribbean to be aware of eye diseases that are affecting our people . . . . CORA is happy to partner with Keratoconus Barbados to do research into a disease in search of causes, prevention and a cure.”

A patient advocate group for keracotonus has recently been formed in Barbados, and founder Roseanne Myers of Atlantic Submarines and a victim of the eye disease, seized the opportunity to briefly tell the tea party guests, “We reached out to the alliance when we saw the fundraiser being promoted, and have pledged to work with CORA to explore how we can better understand the incidence of keratoconus in Barbados and the causative factors.”

(Pictures by Reco Moore.)

Founder of Keracotonus Barbados, Roseanne Myers (right), with fellow Keracotonus member Keisha Russell-Greaves (left) and Shelley Boyce, principal of the Maria Holder Nursery School.

Guests enjoying an afternoon of tea and fancy hats