Feb. 11, 2016
This profession has given me so much over the years, and I’m a big believer in giving back.
It was this desire to give back that prompted me to fill out an application to participate in an ASRT Foundation and RAD-AID International community outreach project. I didn’t know what to expect when I filled out the application, but I knew it was something I wanted to do.
When I received the call to travel to Luang Prabang, Laos, and help provide training at a new pediatric hospital that had opened in May 2015, I wasn’t sure I could make it work. I have been an educator and clinical coordinator for the past nine years, but spending two months away from home seemed like an impossible amount of time. Looking back, I wouldn’t have changed a thing.
Because the hospital’s main purpose is treating pediatric patients, I focused my training on best practices and helping personnel understand the impact they have on patients’ lives. I trained two people during my time there. They both had backgrounds in nursing but had no formal training or experience in radiography.
After my arrival, I developed a deeper appreciation for the work Foundation donors make possible through community outreach. While the hospital had the appropriate equipment, the necessary training wouldn’t have been available without community outreach teams.
On average, the hospital saw 65 to 70 patients a day. While I was there the hospital’s new inpatient ward opened, which held up to nine patients. This allowed patients to stay overnight.
Disease and malnutrition are widespread in the country, so it didn’t take long for the new ward to fill up. Patients from all over the region flocked to the hospital for care, with some of the patients walking for days to see the medical staff. Without the support of dedicated volunteers, people in the area would not have access to this type of care.
This experience made me realize that no matter how large the world seems, we are brought together by the people in it. This project is near and dear to my heart. The lasting impression of helping a child in recovery will always be a part of me, and I am forever grateful for the opportunity.
A big thank you to the ASRT Foundation and its supporters. As a Foundation donor, you are part of something bigger that is changing lives around the world.