November 23, 2009 by Kevin
Last weekend I was able to join Dennis and Rob on a visit to the projects set up in memory of Mark Wynter, close to Kasese in the Rwenzori foothills, West Uganda. (An African Dream)
I first met Mark about 10 years ago at church in Hazlemere and sometimes we talked about his plans for a life’s work in Uganda. Sadly Mark died in 2005 before he could fully realise this dream. His wife Sophie and his friends continue the work today in his memory.
They have built and continue to support a Primary School, providing the fees so that many of the local orphans can attend.
In the villages around the school they work with community leaders to provide support for widows; in one such initiative they help to meet the initial costs of farming pigs as an income generator.
This is a very poor community, the local people have almost nothing and quite literally are still living in mud huts up in the hills. They raise the pigs and a few hens and grow coffee to sell in the local market.
Even though these people are very poor, they have dignity. Whilst visiting this community I didn’t have the overwhelming since of hopelessness that was so very evident in the fishing village we visited the following day.
In time we will explore opportunities to help improve healthcare for this community.
More pictures at:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/suubitrust/sets/72157622858359680/
Read about An African Dream at:
http://casaluz.net/index.html
http://aaduganda.blogspot.com/
Posted in Suubi Trust | Tagged An African Dream | Leave a Comment »
November 19, 2009 by Suubi Trust
Sosina is 27 yrs and from an Eritrean-Ethiopian background. She fled her country during the war in the early 2000s and lost contact with all her family – she still wonders if they are alive or dead.
Sosina arrived in Uganda, a refugee with no family, no home and no job.
Due to difficulty in accessing healthcare, she had a breast lump growing for 2 years. She heard about Hope Ward through a kind neighbour and she was diagnosed with locally advanced breast cancer. She has been started on primary chemotherapy and moderately extensive surgery to ensure entire removal of disease. This is likely to be patched with a skin graft and will be followed by radiotherapy and hormone therapy.
Posted in Cancer Care, Patients | Leave a Comment »
November 13, 2009 by Suubi Trust
Mariana is a 49yr old Congolese refugee. In 2008, during the war, her family were caught in the crossfire, in northern Congo. Mariana’s husband was killed but she fled with her brother and 4 children to a UN camp, in the west of Uganda (Nakivaly camp).
Sadly, the story is yet again, of a 2 year delay in assessing a growing breast lump. Mariana had difficulty accessing food let alone medical care. She was so weak that she found it difficult to eat. Since she was diagnosed with locally advanced breast cancer, kind NGOs have helped with improving her diet. We are currently treating her cancer with primary chemotherapy after which we may consider surgery, radiotherapy and hormone treatment.
Posted in Cancer Care, Patients | Leave a Comment »
November 9, 2009 by Suubi Trust
Alex is a teenager, one of 6 children who live with his mother – a widower. She was struggling to cope and trying to earn a living as a cook in the slums when a friend offered to help assist the children through education. Sadly, Alex developed a cancer which was unfortunately misdiagnosed and he was given different chemotherapy before he was sent to us. His true diagnosis was Hodgkins lymphoma. By that time there was no-one able to help.
By the time Alex arrived at Hope Ward, he was angry and confused. He thought that God was punishing him. However, Alex has done well with several courses of chemotherapy over the last 3 years. Since receiving help on the charity project, Alex’s outlook has changed. He is very grateful for all the care he has received and wears a smile despite the knowledge that his cancer is not curable.
Posted in Cancer Care, Patients, Suubi Trust | Leave a Comment »
November 5, 2009 by Suubi Trust
We have pledged to raise £25,000 to help support Hope Ward Cancer Care in 2010. The following is just one of many patient stories that may help to explain why…
Elizabeth Komujuni, at 26 yrs, was diagnosed with a condition called choriocarcinoma (affecting the lungs) which is curable even in the advanced stages. She shared with us that as soon as it was discovered that she had cancer her husband left her, their 6 month old baby and 2 other children. She was distraught and ran to a wealthier brother for help who shut the door in her face and told her he wanted nothing to do with her – such is the stigma and attitude towards cancer in Uganda!
When she was told that she was going to receive “free” treatment she wept for the entire afternoon. She is so grateful for the help that she has received from her sponsors.
Here she is 2 years later, with her nurse Joshi – she is doing very well and is still in remission – she’s back at work as a maid and as you can see, she has put on weight and is looking much healthier.
You can help Elizabeth and many others like her by helping us to reach our target of £25,000 for 2010. Click here to donate…
NB. Express written consent to share these stories has been obtained from patients or guardians and real names are ONLY used when an adult patient or both the child patient and their guardian actively request so.
Posted in Cancer Care, Patients | Leave a Comment »
November 4, 2009 by Kevin
In a recent update I outlined our new initiative to raise funds in support of Hope Ward Cancer Care.
A cancer treatment budget has been set at £2,000 per month for charity patients. The final two months of 2009 have just been covered by a donation of 12 million (Uganda Shillings) from IAA Healthcare.
IAA Healthcare gives 12m to support Hope Ward Cancer Care
In the photo above Herbert Mukoza, IAA Sales Manager, hands over a cheque to Dr. Helena Nam and team.
We now have our sights on raising £25,000 for 2010 and I’m very pleased to say that we are well on the way, having already received £5,000 from one of our very generous UK supporters, Dr. Richard Bogle, an interventional cardiologist and owner of Cardiac Report Limited.
Richard, thanks once again.
Please considering helping, visit our Just Giving page to make your donation.
Posted in Cancer Care, Fund Raising | Tagged Cardiac Report, Dr. Helena Nam, Dr. Richard Bogle, Just Giving | Leave a Comment »
November 3, 2009 by Kevin
Waira Tom after chemotherapy on Hope Ward
About Hope Ward Cancer Care:
The word “cancer” in Uganda brings thoughts of death, confusion, and stigma. People feel hopeless and impotent with nowhere to turn. There have been great strides made with HIV and infectious diseases but cancer care has fallen by the wayside. Most people avoid seeking medical help until the cancer is advanced or spread and it is too late. Even should they try, there are too few resources and the treatments are unaffordable.
In the last 3 years, Hope Ward Cancer Care has been developed to tackle these needs. We have an excellent team, led by Dr. Helena Nam, which has provided care and treatment for 33 charity patients this year. We will bring you some of the patient stories in the next few postings.
We are hoping to raise £25,000 to enable this work to continue throughout 2010. We have a Just Giving page on which you can make an online donation. Please give generously.
Kind Regards and Thanks,
Kevin.
Posted in Cancer Care, Fund Raising | Tagged Dr. Helena Nam, Just Giving | 1 Comment »
November 3, 2009 by Suubi Trust
Up to the end of September we have had 197 patients admitted onto Hope Ward for a total of 2,217 bed nights.
102 patients were admitted for medical treatment, 62 for surgery and 33 for Cancer Care.
More than £40,000 has been raised to cover the cost of these treatments; of which Suubi Trust has provided just over £13,300.
Our current focus is in reaching next year’s target of £25,000 for our Cancer Care Fund.
NOTE:
Hope Ward is a 25 bed ward at International Hospital Kampala, IHK, dedicated to the provision of quality healthcare free of charge to those most in need. This care makes a very significant difference in the lives of our patients who, without your generous support, would simply not be able to afford their treatments. You can help support this work by donating at Just Giving.
Posted in Cancer Care, Hope Ward, Suubi Trust | Tagged Just Giving | Leave a Comment »
November 2, 2009 by Suubi Trust
Kuvuka cafe is raising money for Suubi Trust to give cancer care to patients who would be without hope otherwise.
Kuvuka Cafe is approaching its 3rd birthday at the end of December, what better way to celebrate than to help bring hope to people and save some lives?! Many of us have experience of loved ones who have suffered from cancer. It’s an awful thing to go through, even when we know treatment of some kind is available to us. In Uganda any kind of cancer treatment is available only to a few, and those who get cancer are generally without hope. We intend to change this for as many people as we can afford to, and ask if you can help.
To help make your contribution even more significant, Kuvuka Cafe will match your contribution, so please consider making even a small donation, it will make a big difference.
You can donate directly on our Just Giving Page, by clicking here…
You can read about some of the work of Suubi Trust here.
Posted in Cancer Care, Fund Raising, Suubi Trust | Tagged Just Giving, Kuvuka, Sean | 1 Comment »
October 22, 2009 by Suubi Trust
Dr. Richard writes…
Dr Ben Khingi, one of our specialists on Hope Ward
We are very lucky with our specialists. Dr Ben deals with many of our complex cases and as a plastic surgeon we need his expertise. Many of the patients in the recent Hope Ward Newsletter have been helped by him.
There are many patient stories but perhaps for endurance by patient and skill by surgeon it’s impossible to beat Calvin with legs like elephants and 2 years later, after multiple operations he is going back to school. He may not have ‘million dollar legs’ but they are normal size and work fine.
Thank you Dr Ben.
<!–[if pub]>
281 1 7560000 10692000 359410 259 261 257 276 262 279 1 0“““““““““““ 5 1 1 285 282 1 False 0 0 0 0 -1 304800 243 True 128 77 255 3175 3175 70 True True True True True 278 134217728 1 3 -9999996.000000 -9999996.000000 8 32768 3381555 10079385 13428428 13428428 13382400 13382502 16777215 59 Green <![endif]–><!–[if pub]>
22857709 22852604 (`@““““` 266 263 5 110182909 110177804 <![endif]–>
We are very lucky with our specialists. Dr Ben deals with many of our complex cases and as a plastic surgeon we need his expertise. Many of the patients in this newsletter have been helped by him.
Here you see a man we found from the local newspaper with a large painful keloid. He is now back at work and riding his bicycle boda.
Above is my little Zainab, what a transformation but perhaps for endurance by patient and skill by surgeon it’s impossible to beat Calvin with legs like elephants and 2 years later, after multiple operations he is going back to school. He may not have ‘million dollar legs’ but they are normal size and work fine.
Thank you Dr Ben
Posted in Hope Ward, Staff | Tagged Dr. Ben Khingi | 1 Comment »
