Last month Cecily Neil and Rob Hines travelled to Luang Prabang in Laos to inspect the progress of the club’s project to redevelop the primary school in the village of Ban Heuthan. While there they also took the opportunity to check up on Nonh, the young boy who had been suffering from Meningoencephalocele ('MEC') that Roy Garrett spotted in the village of one of our earlier school projects.
There will be reports in greater detail from our International Team later but in the meantime here are some photos to keep us in touch with our Luang Prabang project.
Any members wishing to learn more of the Nonh story please click on 'READ MORE' below.
Our boy in Nonh, possibly the first person from Northern Laos to undergo the operation for 'MEC'.
Photos have been sent to Dr Jim Gollogly in Phnom Penh to seek his opinion on the potential for facial reconstructive surgery. Watch this space.
Good handwashing technique demonstrations with children of Huay Tan Village. Often construction of a toilet block and wash basins is not enough. Promotion of good hygiene, proper use of the toilet, and the skills needed for the operation and maintenance of the facilities can enhance the sustainability of the structure and the positive impact of its provision.
Our team in Luang Parbang.
Nonh's father, Somnuek our principal contact in Laos, Nonh plus Cecily and Rob
Brief report by Rob Hines, Team Leader, International Services.
While in Luang Prabang we took the opportunity to check up on Nonh, the young boy who had been suffering from Meningoencephalocele (MEC) that Roy Garrett spotted in the village of one of our earlier school projects.
Roy worked tirelessly to get a diagnosis of Nonh’s condition and then to raise the funds to send him, his father and a translator to the Children’s Surgical Centre (CSC) in Phnom Penh, Cambodia for Nonh’s surgery.
The CSC is supported by the Rotary Club of Phnom Penh and other Rotary clubs in Australia and New Zealand. Phnom Penh Rotary club PP Michael Wright and his colleagues have spearheaded a program to locate and treat children in Cambodia with this condition. Over 300 children have been treated at the CSC but Nonh is the first from Laos. Members of our club kindly donated the funds for the travel and accommodation expenses and a small donation to the CSC.
This picture of Nonh was taken in 2014 when he was 11 years old and you can clearly see the growth on his face caused by the leaking of fluid from the brain cavity as a result of the skull plates not correctly fusing during development of the foetus in the mother’s womb. Without treatment his long-term prospects were not good given the possibility of infection and even meningitis.
There were some complications with Nonh’s treatment and he had to return to Cambodia for follow up which resulted in the installation of a shunt from his brain cavity to his stomach which is still in place. Again, our club raised the necessary funds.
The operation has given Nonh a new life, but there is time to be made up. Rob and team are on the case.