|
Bon and Nong ‘open wide’ for Dr. Kanokrat
Mike Franklin
Dr. Thanoporn, Dr. Tapasit and dental staff from Bangkok Hospital
Pattaya Dental Center recently visited the Fountain of Life Center to
examine the teeth of the 93 kids who were present that day. (Pattaya Mail
report July 4th). The next step in the dental care program for these kids is
a follow up at the hospital with a full in-surgery examination and
treatment.
 Bon
(left) and Nong (right) wait anxiously for their turn in the dentist’s
chair.
This began on Wednesday July 9 when young Bon (boy 6yrs) and Nong (girl 13
yrs), wearing their new 2008 Jesters shirts, were taken to the Dental Center
by Tooth Fairy, Ingrid Cunliffe, with Nurse Aree. The ride in a nice car
from the FOL is always an incentive, together with the promise of a toy
balloon after the treatment.
The PMTV crew was on hand to film the proceedings in the dental surgery to
go on the PMTV cable network as a ‘Meet& Greet’ feature.
 Bon
was soon at ease in the caring hands of Dr. Kanokrat.
This was Bon’s first visit to the dentist and he was naturally apprehensive,
but soon at ease in the caring hands of Dr. Kanokrat. The ‘mirror technique’
used in the surgery that enables the child to watch the examination,
certainly works and Bon was a model patient. Next in the chair was Nong, a
13-year-old girl and equally relaxed as Dr. Kanokrat gently probed the
cavities and areas needing treatment. The detailed examinations over, Bon
and Nong were given their toy balloons and appointments were booked for the
following week for the serious treatment to begin.
 The
‘mirror technique’ used in the surgery that enables the child to watch the
examination, certainly works and Nong was equally relaxed in the caring
hands of Dr. Kanokrat.
This has to be one of the most rewarding aspects of the way the money
donated to the Fountain of Life by the annual Jesters Care for Kids Charity
Drive is used. So young Bon and teenage Nong will have good teeth and a
confident smile in due course, as will all the kids at the Fountain of Life
over time.
Thanks to the funding by the Jesters, the care at the Fountain of Life by
Sister Joan and her staff and Tooth Fairy Ingrid and not least, the
co-operation and special terms afforded by the BHP Dental Center. And in
this 11th year of the Jesters Charity Drive another 50,000 baht Gold
sponsorship has been donated by the BHP Dental Director, Dr. Tassanee, to
benefit the FOL Dental program.
Many of the smiling Kids from the Fountain of Life Center will be at the
Jesters Children’s Fair and Family Day on Sunday September 14th. Make a note
in the diary and come and join them - it’s a great day out for everyone.
Redemptorist students pay respect to teachers
Vimolrat Singnikorn
Wai Kru Day, in which respect is paid to teachers, was observed
on June 26 by the Redemptorist Vocational School for the Disabled and
the Redemptorist School for the Blind.
 Students
present flowers, candles and joss stick arrangements to Father Worawut
Saraphan (left) and their teachers.
At the Vocational School the day began with a ceremony when Father
Worawut Saraphan acted as the school representative to light candles and
joss sticks, followed by the representative of each classroom presenting
trays of flowers and candles that had been prepared by the students.
At the close of the ceremony, students read essays to the teachers, and
there was a performance of singing.
 Fr.
Lawrence Patin (left) receives arrangements of flowers, candles and joss
sticks from each class representative of the Pattaya Redemptorist School
for the Blind.
At the Redemptorist School for the Blind, Jakrapong Suwanratsamee,
deputy director of Chonburi Educational Zone 3 and Father Lawrence
Patin, who heads the Father Ray Foundation and the Redemptorist Center
in Pattaya co-chaired the ceremony, which was also attended by Mayor
Itthipol Khunplome, chairwoman of the YWCA Bangkok-Pattaya Center
Nittaya Patimasongkroh, and Nongprue Municipality Mayor Mai Chaiyanit.
This ceremony also began with the lighting of candles and joss sticks,
followed by the student representatives making pledges and leading
chanting. The representatives presented trays of flowers and candles,
and certificates were then presented to students who were being awarded
for coming top in areas such as good manners, kindness and best
sportsmanship.
Father Lawrence said that the Wai Kru ceremony is an important part of
Thai tradition, paying respect to teachers and symbolizing the readiness
of the young to learn from their elders. He said that the selection of
flowers for the trays was in itself symbolic, the Bermuda grass being
fast growing and resistant to bad weather, the Ixora representing
intelligence, and the Solanum macranthum flower always producing fruit.
The word “kru” comes from “ka-ru”, which means the “heavy”, said Father
Lawrence, symbolizing the heavy burden of responsibility a teacher
carries in imparting knowledge and morals to young people.
All the students at the
Redemptorist Vocational School for the Disabled in Pattaya happily
participate in the Wai Kru ceremony.
The mayor, district chief,
local head of education and head of the Father Ray Foundation pose with
award winning students from the Pattaya Redemptorist School for the
Blind.
Students from the Pattaya
Redemptorist School perform
a delightful show during the Wai Kru ceremony.
Urn is better off in new home
Ingrid Cunliffe
Pattaya International Ladies Club Welfare Team
A few weeks ago I received a call from Sister Joan at the Fountain of
Life Center with regards to a 7 year old girl “Urn”. Her sister attends
schooling at the FOL, but Urn is unable to attend due to her terminal
illness of cirrhosis of her liver, a condition she has had since birth
that went undetected, and if this had been detected, a small operation
would have been all she needed. This condition occurs when the cells in
the liver are damaged and scar tissue forms. The scar tissue causes the
blood flow to be blocked and toxins to build up in the body.
 Ingrid
(right) presents the new toys to Urn (center) and her sister in their
new room.
Urn is 7 years old, but looks 4; she is underdeveloped, and has the
large abdomen and yellow eyes that are part of this condition caused by
jaundice. She also has skin troubles, with a constant itch everywhere
that is unable to be relieved despite medicines and many baths per day.
This is due to bile products being deposited on the skin that cause
intense itching. Her granny takes care of her, as the mother has a full
time job in a local hotel.
We took Urn to Bangkok Hospital Pattaya to see if anything could be done
for her, only to be told no, and that we should try to keep her
comfortable and get the itch in her skin relived with other creams and
potions. On a recent visit to the shanty they live in, near Jameson’s
pub, we found the granny was not using any of the creams or medicines,
so we now get her to come to the FOL every week day, and the staff
applies the creams to Urn’s body and gives her the medicines.
 Urn
waits for treatment at Bangkok Hospital Pattaya.
Urn enjoys playing with the toys at the center, but we have to keep her
away from the other kids in case she gets a cold or other illness from
them, which is a real shame as she enjoys this time at the centre.
The doctor at Bangkok Hospital Pattaya has agreed to see Urn every month
to monitor her and proscribe the vitamins and creams she needs, which is
fantastic and we appreciate this very much.
In early July, I took Urn along with Ari, the nurse from the Fountain of
Life, to Bangkok Hospital Pattaya for her monthly check up with
pediatrician Dr Suri.
Urn unfortunately was very ill with a bad chest infection and two badly
infected ears. We had Urn’s records from her early childhood surgery
when a laparotomy was performed, but it was already too late for her at
age 1. Dr Suri suggested that Urn be admitted to hospital to receive
treatment for her ailments.
I liaised with Ann, from customer services at the hospital, to see what
sort of costs would be involved, and was pleasantly surprised when we
got to meet with one of the assistant directors of the hospital and they
helped substantially with keeping the costs for a 2 day stay to a
minimum. For that we are so thankful and grateful to the hospital.
One of the major factors keeping Urn so unwell was the appalling
conditions that she lived in. We really did not want her to go back to
the shanty she has been living in once her stay was over at the
hospital. I got together with Woody from the Jesters Care for Kids and
the Sisters at the Fountain of Life, and we managed to find a nice room
near the center for Urn to move into on discharge from hospital (as
reported in Pattaya Mail July 4, 2008 edition).
She moved in to the room with her Granny, sister and her mum, with the
rent being paid for by the Jesters. They are very happy in the room, the
sisters from the FOL can visit regularly and Urn can come to the center
to get her medications and creams on a regular basis. Her grandpa and
his son are still living in the tin shanty from where they have come
from of their own choice.
The Pattaya International Ladies Club has paid for items the family
needed, such as sheets and pillows, and also filled the fridge for them.
We will continue to support this family together with Jesters and the
FOL until the end. We can only make her comfortable and make sure she
gets her medication and creams on a daily basis.
Last Tuesday, the Pattaya International Ladies Club purchased 2000 baht
worth of toys from Toys R Us for Urn. The girls were thrilled to receive
the toys with good old play doh and equipment the best as far as they
were concerned!
Jesters and PILC, together with the Sisters from the Fountain of Life
will continue the updates on this young lady, who from a couple of weeks
ago looks so much healthier already since the move.
If you would like to meet or assist Urn, please contact Ingrid Cunliffe
at ingy101@ gmail.com or any of the PILC Welfare team, and we would be
glad to introduce her to you.
Child Protection and Development Center
Ingrid and Kathleen hand
over 50,000 baht
to Jar to do further work on the center.
There is still a lot of
work to be done.
Ingrid Cunliffe
This is a new project that Pattaya International Ladies Club
(PILC) members are supporting as you would have read about in previous
editions of the Pattaya Mail.
On Thursday July 10, Kathleen and I went out on a dreary rainy day to
give Jar 50,000 baht to go towards the construction of the kids sleeping
quarters. Thankfully a roof had been constructed already, as it was a
wet day we visited!
 A
roof is up, and more construction is on the way.
The project is coming along nicely with 15 children seeking the safe
haven of the centre already, mainly boys it was noted.
Teachers will be found to start teaching the boys and as always
volunteers are sought to teach English to the kids. If you are
interested please let the PILC Welfare team know and we can get it
underway.
We also will purchase pots, as the boys do all their own cooking, as
well as mattresses, blankets and boxer shorts, which were on the wish
list also.
If you would like to know more on this project or can offer any help or
goods, please contact Ingrid Cunliffe at ingy101 @gmail.com or any of
the PILC Welfare team, as it is always appreciated.
|
