A House For Noel

Noel Lochan was all smiles yesterday when he went to offer yuletide greetings to the man who changed his life and in doing so, received a surprise when the same man offered to help get a house for him and his family in the new year. Lochan, the 20-year-old Princes Town resident who was discovered by the Police last year in a dark room of his family’s home covered in large and painful boils, met with Health Minister John Rahael at the Health Ministry’s Park Street office, where he presented Rahael with two Christmas cards in appreciation for all the Minister’s assistance.

In return, the Health Minister then announced that he would further assist the Lochan family by helping them obtain a house through a government programme and TT Housing Development Company. The Minister commended Lochan for his pronouncement that he would save a portion of each month’s paycheck towards material for a house, after which Rahael explained that when the time comes, he would help the Lochan family in any way he could, presenting Sherryl and Lionel Lochan with a Christmas hamper of goodies for their four sons and seven daughters.

Last year, on hearing of the young man’s plight, Rahael had offered medical assistance and to date, Lochan has received over 15 surgeries to correct the damage caused by the boils. He also provided him with a temporary job as a handyman at the Indian Walk Health Centre, that he says will soon be made permanent. “Noel’s job was based on an available vacancy,” said Rahael, “and while it is temporary now, I see the job as becoming permanent and it will give us an opportunity to see if he enjoys working in the health sector.”

The Minister also explained that Noel was now cured and that his skin disease was very rare, so rare in fact, that doctors in Houston and Atlanta in the United States were unable to determine exactly what it was. He also informed the media that doctors from the United Kingdom and the United States will assist in the final leg of Lochan’s cosmetic surgery. Noel himself, was very optimistic about his future and supremely grateful to Rahael and all others who helped him. He said, “ I feel very good. Minister John Rahael helped me a lot. He promised me a job and held his word. I would like to thank him as well as my brothers and sisters and my parents and take this opportunity to wish Mr Rahael a very merry Christmas.”