A while back, I had read that someone had donated a wheelchair to the Thursday Club. I recently met an 11 year old boy with mobility problems that was hoping to have a wheelchair so I contacted PatO and Broadside. It turned out that the chair, donated by San Miguel (Dr. mike), was still available so I explained the case to him and he graciously accepted to provide that wheelchair to the child through the Thursday Club. I am attaching a couple pictures of the child with the chair. The boy's mother was under the impression that the child was born with a spinal problem that could be repaired by an operation so we thought it may be a good project to look at. However, we noticed that he also had some mobility problems in his arms and upper torso so we brought him to our family doctor and then an Orthopedic surgeon. It turns out that the boy probably has Cerebral Palsy so we will bring him to a Neurologist to confirm then get him into some kind of physiotherapy program. Unfortunately, there is no cure for cerebral palsy so any help that we can give now will be limited to comforting him and trying to improve his quality of life. Maybe, in the future, we will look at prosthetics and maybe small operations on his arms to relieve the tension in his tendons due to contractures. It is too bad that the problem wasn't properly diagnosed when he was a baby. Maybe he would have more mobility now. Anyway, we will see what we can do. Thank you, Dr. Mike!
Steve, it's good that this youngster can now have some mobility. Some time ago, we offered the wheelchair to a local organization dealing with disabled children. Unbelievably, they refused the offer of help. Disabled children are not seen out and about very often here for a variety of reasons, one of which is an incredibly misplaced feeling of shame and embarrassment. But the principle reason is usually poverty, in that the family can barely afford to eat, let alone absorb the extra cost of some form of mobility for a disabled child. So the child stays hidden. It's sad enough that the child has a disability, yet for no fault of its' own it also has to suffer the indignity of being a prisoner at home. Thanks for seeing this through and making sure that the chair is being put to good use for the benefit of this child, and grateful thanks to Dr. Mike for providing it.
Thank you to the Thursday Club members who reached out to help this needy boy. Steve I would like to donate my time in clinically evaluating this child and will donate treatment if Beneficial and of course with the concent of the parents.
Wow, I am sure the parents and the child, (named Mark) would appreciate it. When will you be back in the Philippines?
