Medical Missionary Work 2010
Suzanne has developed a strong desire over the past 10 years to undertake medical missionary work overseas. She loves to mentor, teach and give to those who do not have the same access to our high standard of health care.
In the past she has been to India to work with Dr Raja Sabapathy in Coimbatore, India, one of her mentors. In September 2006 she presented to the surgeons and taught therapists at the Indian Society for Surgery of Hand, Chandigarh, India. She is informally a mentor to the newly developed Indian Hand therapy Association and will be helping to support them with their hosting of the IFSSH & IFSHT in New Delhi in 2013.
Suzanne has just returned from the Kingdom of Bhutan where she and Dr Philip Griffin, Plastic & Reconstructive Surgeon went to teach, train and establish a Hand Therapy unit at the Jigme Dorji Wangchuck National Referral Hospital in Thimphu, Bhutan.
She had the opportunity to work closely with Dr Tshewang Thinley, Orthopaedic Surgeon, his team and the wonderful Karma Fuentsho, Physiotherapist and the fantastic therapy staff.
Thanks to Karma, she had so many keen students, therapists, doctors and technicians attend from all over Bhutan. She was hopeful for 25 total but had 51 attendees to her first day Hand & Upper Limb course and 62 to her second course.
Suzanne saw a mixture of in-patients with acute trauma or post operative and many out patients. She was blessed to have a large amount of donated equipment from medical companies in Australia, Rotary, Hospitals and individual therapists. The Australian Hand Therapy Association were also generous in their contribution. This enabled Suzanne to set up an inpatient splinting and exercise area within the Physiotherapy Department and a more extensive Hand Therapy Unit in the outpatient physiotherapy area. We discussed lots of low technique splinting and simple exercise ideas so our colleagues all over Bhutan could go away with some new ideas.
It was amazing to see the work undertaken by various volunteers from HVO who were so warm, supportive and welcoming.
In two short weeks she believes they achieved their goals of operating on and treating some complex hand injuries, train local hospital staff and the various therapists and technicians throughout Bhutan and established an impressive out patient hand therapy set up.
Suzanne is now maintaining an ongoing mentoring system via the internet and still continues to send care packages. She hopes to return to Bhutan in 1-2 years to continue her work and teaching.
Last Updated: 16/06/2009
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