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June 2020 – News from the Lao Friends Hospital for Children
The Lao Friends Hospital for Children (LFHC), opened in 2015, is the first of its kind in Laos; a hospital operated by and for the people of Laos. It was and is financed entirely from foundation and donation funds and is independent of, but in constant communication with, the Luang Prabang State Hospital. In the beginning of May, Friends Without A Border received a 4-star rating from an independent charity testing company (Charity Navigator) for the fifth time in a row, demonstrating its exemplary work.
We have already told you about the impressive developments of the neonatal station (see here) and their Department for the treatment of thalassemia (see here). During our visit in February of this year, we were thrilled with the progress of the Lao physician teaching program, that Moving Child initiated and is the sole sponsor. The teaching program at the LFHC consists of two essential pillars: patient education and the training of specialist staff. In particular, the sustainable concept of in-house teaching and training events has fascinated us from the start.
The main aim of the LFHC’s educational program is to strengthen the independence and autonomy of the Laotian doctors, but also of the nursing staff.
The teaching program is comprehensive and includes daily topic-related lectures and discussion groups, structured English lessons, and exchange with international experts. But what is most important is the emphasis on ‘training for trainers’: The medical staff is trained not only to practically apply the knowledge they have acquired, but above all to pass it on to a new generation of future doctors. The influence, and thus the dependence on international experts, is slowly diminishing and the independence of the Laotian staff is being promoted.
The current situation in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic
So far there have been 19 confirmed corona cases in Laos, three of them in Luang Prabang. Although the LFHC does not treat infected patients directly, the situation has a dramatic impact on the daily life in the hospital. The country borders were closed, and the international doctors and volunteers returned to their home countries. Since then, the work at the LFHC has been mastered with a lot of energy and dedication by the local Laotian doctors and nurses, who have been working around the clock for weeks. Of course, all fundraisers also had to be cancelled, which further worsened the difficult financial situation of Friends Without A Border and the LFHC.
Transportation between villages is only possible to a very limited extent. This has reduced the number of outpatients to around 50 a day, who usually arrive at the hospital in very advanced stages of the illness or even in critical condition. It is expected that poverty-related illnesses, such as malnutrition and infections, will occur even more frequently in the next few months. This makes the free treatments offered at the LFHC more important than ever.
But there is also good news! The country’s lockdown has complicated the work at the LFHC, but the teaching courses continue. Distance learning programs have been set up that allow Laotian doctors and nurses to work on selected topics from home. All doctors continue to receive two full days of training per month: one with a focus on evidence-based medicine (a virtual journal club) and the other with interactive case studies. The doctors are in constant, lively exchange with each other and, despite the adverse circumstances, continue their training to be able to offer the best possible treatments in the future.
We are impressed by the work and motivation of the LFHC team under such difficult and challenging conditions and are happy to report on the positive developments of the teaching program funded by Moving Child. We hope that it will get easier for them and all of us again soon, and thank all donors for their support. Every little bit helps the babies and children who receive treatment in this hospital that they could not get anywhere else. Thank you so much!
Your Moving Child Team
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February 2019 – New developments in Luang Prabang, Laos
CHARITY EVENT, 26. – 27.01.2019, IN LUANG PRABANG
In November 2018, we travelled to Luang Prabang for the fifth time. We felt – despite our 9 months absence – immediately back home. Since we started supporting the children’s hospital, we have been deeply impressed again and again with the speed and dynamic with which it is developing. This fills us with deep gratitude, which we gladly share with all donors and supporters. The longer we were in contact with the children’s hospital, the more concrete became Anna Schulz-Dornburg’s idea and desire to support children and adults in their healing process after sickness, trauma, or surgery. Her plan was to offer holistic medicine in form of Biodynamic CranioSacral Therapy to interested people and also for children after their treatment at the hospital.
The idea to organize a charity event for the children’s hospital took shape and the Ock Pop Tok Living Crafts Center kindly offered its premises. EAST MEETS WEST – was the translation of Ock Pop Tok, and that was the spirit we integrated in our project and in our work. The atmosphere was very fitting for the charity event and created a welcoming inter- and transcultural context. With flyers in English and Laotian, we reached out to people who were interested in charity events and wanted to experience Biodynamic Craniosacral Therapy. Additionally, a monk, and close friend of ours, supported the charity event as well, interesting many people from the Buddhist community.
We formed a competent and motivated team:
Anna Schulz-Dornburg, alternative medicine practitioner, physiotherapist, and cranio-sacral therapist, initiated, shaped, and supported the charity event through the power of her vision and her long-term professional experience.
Korn Sriwan, Spa manager and biodynamic cranio-sacral therapist, was and is an important co-organiser and acted as a bridge between cultures – both organisationally, therapeutically, and linguistically directly with the participants of the event.
Gertraud Leimstättner, alternative medicine practitioner, conducted the local organisation, gathered the anamnesis questionnaires, and, with the help of a translator, investigated the concerns and ambitions of each participant.
On the two days of the charity event, 22 adults and two children got into contact with Biodynamic Craniosacral Therapy. The interest was encouragingly much greater than we expected. We were happy to find that in addition to the registered participants, a number of other interested people attended, whose curiosity about CranioSacral Therapy had been sparked by hearsay.
From the start, it was important to us to create an atmosphere of trust and orientation. Information, education, and the possibility for participants to freely decide how far they wanted to get involved, helped to make the charity event a full success. According to feedback, the participants got a taste of the possibilities available to them – how this method can help and lead them to improve their own holistic feeling with their structural, physical and energetic sensations, and to sense their autonomy and self-efficacy.
“I can feel my heart again”
“I feel internally upright and permeable”
“I have regained confidence in my leg and can strain it normally – 10 years after my accident”
The participants donated according to their resources. The entire revenues were immediately and directly handed over to the children’s hospital in Luang Prabang.
“We want to thank you very much for organizing the fundraising event in Luang Prabang. We received your donation and we wanted you to know that we truly value all the efforts you did and also the very nice involvement of the community you had in your event.” Anabella Coria Zavala, Director of External Relations Lao Friends Hospital for Children & Friends Gallery, Healing Children. Healing Laos.
In any case, these two days were a gift and truly fulfilling pioneering. Inter- and transcultural encounters took place in different contexts and it was a touching and enriching experience for everyone involved. For next year, a whole week of Biodynamic Craniosacral Therapy is going to be offered in the course of a second charity event.
OPENING OF THE NEONATAL STATION AT FRIENDS WITHOUT A BORDER (FWAB) CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL IN LUANG PRABANG, LAOS
Very soon after our arrival, we visited the children’s hospital – curious about the progress and expansion of the neonatal station. It is now possible to medically treat and support 23 premature infants there simultaneously. An only 7-months-old baby was born during our visit at the hospital. We were able to witness how it powerfully expressed its strong will to live. This experience was deeply touching. Thanks to the medical care at the neonatal station, the chances of survival for these children are now very high. Just 3 months ago, this baby would not have had a chance of life.
Today, even children born with an abdominal cleft (gastroschisis) can receive life-saving medical treatment here. In “western” hospitals, a diagnosis such as this can be made already prenatally with ultrasound and if necessary be operated on immediately, but to date the medical care in Luang Prabang is far from that state of preventive care.
A heartfelt thank you to all donors, who supported and enabled the opening of the neonatal station with their generous donations.
Anna Schulz-Dornburg, founder and managing director
Gertraud Leimstättner, managing director
of Moving Child gGmbH
December 2017 – Fundraising for Lao Friends Hospital for Children
Department for the treatment of thalassemia
With annual donations, Moving Child supports a department specialized on the treatment of thalassemia. This anemia, which is caused by malformation and depletion of red blood cells, is a hereditary disease prevalent especially in northern Laos. Untreated, it leads to developmental disorders, damages the heart and lungs, and causes enlargement of the spleen. This can have life-threatening consequences for children.
Further information can be found in the following video:
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Lao Friends Hospital for Children Fights Blood Disorder from Friends Without A Border on Vimeo.
We are very grateful to all donors who have contributed so generously to the Laos Friends Hospital for Children in Luang Prabang. The first fundraising event was an informative and also very touching experience. Nicole Pagoursis (first director) from New York told us about the fascinating history of the Children’s Hospital and the many children whose lives have been saved or greatly improved by medical help provided by the hospital.
In order to continue improving the life of Laotian children also in the future, Lao Friends Hospital for Children needs continual financial support.
Neonatal and infant station
In 2016, when the Lao Friends Hospital for Children opened the Neonatal and Infant station in Luang Prabang, 6 beds still seemed enough. However, as the Children’s Hospital is the sole place in Luang Prabang where premature babies receive free medical treatment, the number of infants brought in right after birth is steadily increasing.The current plan is to double the number of beds. For this purpose, a part of the General Hospital in Luang Prabang, which is directly adjacent to the Children’s Hospital, needs to be rebuilt. Your donation will directly help to supply the station with the necessary medication and medical equipment.
Thank you very much!