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Nghe has polio and walks on her hands. She will benefit from the Centre by learning how to look after her arms and shoulders so as she can continue to have mobility. Giving People with Disabilities the Opportunity for a Better Life Lifestart Foundation already works with many disabled adults ensuring that they have their own sustainable income via the Lifestart Foundation Workshop and other seeding and training initiatives. In addition we have provided wheelchairs and three wheeled motorbikes to allow independence and mobility. Chronic health problems have been treated and managed, surgeries and prosthetics have been funded and now it is time to focus on improving the long term quality of life for these people. Many of those with disabilities have to live with daily pain and other side effects of their condition which constrict the opportunities available to them and impact heavily on their long term quality of life.
This new initiative, "The Lifestart Foundation Disability Community Centre ", is a project that aims to provide people living with disabilities in central Vietnam with new and improved opportunities. It will focus on adults whose complex disabilities include Polio, war injuries, cerebral palsy, paraplegia and quadriplegia. The Lifestart Foundation Disability Community Centre will be a free service to those in need.
Scoping Study In February 2011 we conducted a one week scoping study in Hoi An and Danang
THE ASSESSMENT TEAM
Lucy ( visiting Physio from the UK )
Karen, Dr Annette Holian, Chris Blackburn, Hiep (patient), Prof. Jenny Keating & Miss Phuong our translator. Missing from this picture is Ruth who scribed for the 2 days of assessments. with an expert team from Australia.
We are extremely fortunate to have this team of highly qualified and skilled professionals take an active role and interest in the development of the Lifestart Foundation Disability Community Centre. The team included Professor Jenny Keating – Professor of Physiotherapy and Director of Allied Health Faculty of Medicine Nursing and Health Sciences at Monash University, Chris Blackburn – Senior Clinician Physiotherapist with specialist skills in paediatric services and congenital disabilities, and Doctor Annette Holian - Senior Orthopaedic Surgeon with specialist skills in cerebral palsy, polio and paediatric services.
We put together a group of patients with a wide range of disabilities for the team to assess and were welcomed at the two major Danang Hospitals to discuss how we could help each other. The "dream team" recommended the need for local, freely available rehabilitation services and signposting to existing services to enable the co-ordinated care of people with complex disabilities.
Lifestart Foundation Disability Community Centre to Open In October 2011 It has been a long held dream to launch this project and it is with great excitement that the Lifestart Foundation Disability Community Centre will open later in 2011. As
LIFESTART FOUNDATION DISABILITY COMMUNITY CENTRE
The ground floor of this building will be used for the Centre. The first floor will have classrooms and the third floor is earmarked for an exciting new project. More about that later. many of our disabled people that we are helping are getting older, it is becoming more pressing to help them manage and look after the good limbs that they have so as they are not completely immobile in the future.
Lifestart Foundation has been given a grant to purchase and renovate a suitable building in Hoi An for the Disability Community Center by the Planet Wheeler Foundation (established by the founders of Lonely Planet Publications.) The renovations have almost been completed and there is no shortage of patients.
Physiotherapy experts will provide detailed one-on-one, free of charge assessments for individuals with disabilities who visit the centre. Depending on their special requirements, they will receive a supervised rehabilitation exercise plan, as well as information on nutrition, posture, and locally based services. In addition, referral to a local hospital for surgery or prosthetics will be provided for those who require more complex medical treatment.
How You Can Help We are looking for help to make the Lifestart Foundation Disability Community Centre a reality. We have identified the costs required for the initial set-up, specialist equipment and the first-year running including staffing. These total under $25,000.
Breakdown of the initial set up and running costs for the first year
Completion of Set-Up AUD ($)
Basic hygiene/ medical kit: $93
Computing, stationary and informational posters: $798
Completion of renovations required to building including fitting appropriate hand-rails, ramps, a washing machine, internal blinds and a commode: $6,253
Basic physiotherapy equipment: $2,363
Total for completion of set-up: $9,505
First Year Running Costs AUD ($)
Vietnamese salaries (2 x allied health assistants, 1 x cleaner and proportion of Assistant In-Country Manager): $8,385
Physiotherapist funded through Australian Youth Ambassadors for Development: $0
Person specific treatment (including operations, provision of wheelchairs, specific physiotherapy equipment and medicine): $4,200
Utilities (internet, water, electricity, online data storage and rubbish collection): $1,710
Consumables (stationary, cleaning products etc.): $210
Total for first year running costs: $14,505
Overall Total: $24,010
It's hard to believe that we can staff, set up and run this facility for this small amount. We have done our figures thoroughly and this is extremely doable.
Thank you to Allens Arthur Robinson Lawyers - Hanoi who have already made a donation to help us purchase some of the equipment needed for the Centre.
Lifestart Foundation welcomes the opportunity
MOBILITY OPTIONS
We are assessing the viability of this type of electric three wheeler. It is nice and stable and sits well on the road. As fuel costs escalate this might be an alternative to the three wheel motorbikes for some people. to discuss with you the support required to achieve this goal providing a much-needed facility for those adults living with disabilities in central Vietnam. If you are interested in finding out more please contact us. You may wish to sponsor a staff member or a piece of much needed equipment.
We would be grateful for any assistance.
AYAD The Australian Government has just approved funding for Lifestart Foundation via the AYAD program.
AYAD (Australian Youth Ambassadors for Development) have approved funding for a one year physiotherapist placement to support this project in Hoi An Vietnam. Applications can be made by through the AYAD website by the 27th of May. Search under 'health' for assignment number 32VNHE-A01, Physiotherapist Support Officer
How to apply. Again this is a wonderful opportunity for a young Australian Physiotherapist to be part of the Lifestart Foundation team, to come over to Vietnam to share their skills and to capacity build our local staff. They will take home at the end of their year with us what I hope will have been an amazing experience, the opportunity to help people with complex disabilities which are not often seen in our country and to really
HOA
Hoa also has Polio and walks on her hands. The centre will also help her to manage her upper body better. feel that they have made a significant difference to many people living with disabilities in this part of the world.
Lots of Love from Karen
www.lifestartfoundation.org.au Enjoying the blogs?? Forward them on or subscribe those who you think would be interested in Lifestart Foundations work.......its free!
Visit us at:
LIFESTART FOUNDATION WORKSHOP
77 Phan Chu Trinh Street,
HOI AN.
VIETNAM
WOULD YOU LIKE TO SUPPORT THE LIFESTART FOUNDATION WORKSHOP IN HOI AN? If you have visited the Lifestart Foundation Workshop in Hoi An and like what we are doing, please write a review on Trip Advisor for us. This is a quick and simple way you can really help us - just click the link below!
Trip Advisor review This video about the Lifestart Foundation Workshop Members made by Neal Kearney highlights those who will benefit from the Disability Community Centre More Stories about the people who will benefit from the Disability Community Centre Three Wheeled Motorbikes Hiep's Changed Life Thong - A 'Can Do' Kind of Man Lovely Miss Luong Song's New Scooter A Glimpse at Menh and Huy's Life Hoa - Independence At Last Nghe's Story Tung - Behind The Smile Nhung's Story Xuyen - 60 Years Old With Her First Motorbike! Lieu's Story Mai - An Aspiring Artist Vinh - A New Member MEET SOME OF THE PEOPLE WHO WILL BENEFIT FROM LIEU
Lieu wears callipers on both legs and uses two crutches to walk. THE LIFESTART FOUNDATION DISABILITY COMMUNITY CENTRE
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Hello Karen :) Lovely photos. The video is lovely too. Sorry to keep you waiting for it. I am still waiting for information about it too. Mel