June News From The UK

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Many thanks to all who have joined us on face book. There are new volunteers joining everyday! Many thanks to Neil Roberts who posted several different videos from CRP on the site. Have a look!

Website
We do need to keep the website up to date, if anyone has a fundraising event they are planning or if you have been to or are planning to go to CRP please get in touch. We would love any photos and stories

British Volunteer Jean Ward returns the Mother and Child Unit at CRP
Retired paediatric physiotherapist, Jean Ward, first visited CRP in 1998 when the mother and child unit consisted of 5 mattresses at the end of a dark bare room. Now a purpose built unit treats 21 in-patients (usually for two weeks at a time accompanied by their mothers) as well as numerous out-patients. There are dedicated areas for reception, staff, treatment and separate living space for the mothers.

Jean writes “During my visit I gave some formal lectures, ran discussion groups, provided general clinical supervision when applicable, gave joint treatment together with the Bangladesh Health Professionals Institute (BHPI) students and organised role play workshops. The students became a mother, or child, or a therapist and demonstrated clinical techniques, activity programmes and management of various conditions. Some students proved to be very good actors especially as strong willed, unco-operative active children!

Each morning the in-patient children and their mothers attend one of three group sessions – one for children who are able to sit unaided, one for those needing support and one for severely handicapped children who enjoy massage and need a quiet, gentle programme. Each session includes functional activities of dressing & feeling, together with ‘therapeutic games’. Each child also receives individual treatment and, most importantly, the mothers are shown how to continue this at home.

As many of the children never experience ‘normal’ childhood activities, I encouraged more use of the playground’s swings, slide and sand pit. Delighted children buried and unburied their feet and made sand pies whilst a very withdrawn little boy relaxed in the swing smiling and humming away to himself

I spent several evenings in the Children’s Hostel where it was lovely to see the children playing in small groups rather than watching TV. We added the Hokey Kokey to our repertoire of action songs which the children sang with great gusto.

Children always help to create a relaxed atmosphere, but it is the excellent way the therapists work together regardless of disciplines or level of qualification that gives the unit its special buzz. I was made most welcome by an enthusiastic hard working team of therapy staff and students. Altogether I felt it was a very worthwhile visit and I look forward to the next.”

The time spent at CRP will be forever in my memory
I am John Carter from England. I volunteered at CRP from March to April 2011
2011. I heard about CRP from Janet Ivin, one of old friends of CRP. Though I am
an Ex-engineer, I came here to help run the APT training course for the young woman at the CRP-Gonokbari Hostel. During my three visits to CRP, it has been encouraging to see the growth and the interest shown in APT. I enjoyed there most the generosity, hospitality and general friendliness of everybody I meet, CRP staff, patients and visitors, who I come into contact with. I am also impressed by CRP’s policy to not turn anyone away before they see a doctor. After visiting CRP I am so much more aware of the wealth of the western world and am determined to spread the word about CRP’s work in the UK and try to encourage more people to support their work.