Friday- Hoopla

Student receiving representative gift of CURE kits

Friday was packed full of excitement. We started the day learning about how to take care of a sick person then stopped early to get ready for the “Goodwill Presentation Ceremony.” This was a big deal with a lot of hoopla to honor Thai Airways, the Boeing Company, and Project C.U.R.E. for their help in bringing medical supplies to the Barefoot Doctors program this year. With the support of donors, FLC was able to purchase 21 “Cure Kits” from Project C.U.R.E. at a discounted price. The kits have a lot of basic medical supplies that the Barefoot Doctors will need. They do not have any antibiotics or malarial medications, so those items will still need to be purchased for the students. However, the kits go a long way. As a good deed, Thai airlines agreed to transport the large boxes containing the kits from the USA to Chiang Mai, Thailand at no charge! This was made possible because of Thai Airway’s recent purchase of a new Boeing 787 Dreamliner that has space for the cargo during its delivery to Thai Airways from the USA. Thai Airways and Boeing sent officials to represent them and Thai Airways sent a lot of the local staff to support the event. Some local officials and villagers from the hill tribes also attended to demonstrate their support. The Barefoot Doctor students wore their best traditional outfits for this special occasion and it was an impressive site to see. It really made the collaboration of so many companies and people groups stand out. It was truly beautiful to see, visually, so many people from different backgrounds working together to help the less fortunate. Above all, the Barefoot Doctor students were praised for their dedication in learning and taking this knowledge to those who have little or no healthcare available.  We also had a chance to educate some of the Thai Airlines and Boeing officials on the program. They received a live projected demonstration from an iphone of the most skilled student placing sutures in a pig’s foot. We also showed them the ARS (Audience Response System). The students were polled to demonstrate teaching techniques and the true need for the program in real time.   It was a great time of mutually honoring each other, educating others on this program, and celebration.

Demonstration of suturing

After lunch, it was back to business as usual with the first quiz! After the quiz, we reviewed it together making it another teaching tool. The workday came to a close talking about “home cures.” It is always interesting to hear what types of things the students use in the villages. One student showed an herb that the villagers believe works well on snakebites. One of the western doctors educated us all that ginger has been proven to help with morning sickness in pregnant women.

At dinner the students said a tearful goodbye to Dr. Susan McDowell for her excellent teaching and heartfelt help with the program.

Students with at the ceremony 

It was a busy, exiting, and exhausting day but a great end to this first week of focused medical training.

Rick