This summer I have been given a fantastic opportunity to travel to Uganda for four weeks with a team of volunteers from UCDVO as part of my elective placement. I will travel with four other physiotherapy students, Ronan, Kathryn, Jenny and Lorraine, a physiotherapy tutor to keep us on our toes, along with 10 other volunteers consisting of nursing, medicine and nutrition students. As physiotherapy students we will be working with the team in Kisiizi Hospital, in Western Uganda, to run a cerebral palsy camp for children and their families who face the challenges of living with cerebral palsy without vital services every day. Cerebral Palsy is a condition which affects children and families all over the world, however in areas like Uganda it is particularly prevalent due to complications at birth, mothers with illnesses during pregnancies and many births occurring at home. We will run a two week camp, where children and their families will come and stay. Then we will educate them on the self-management of their condition, so that the work we do is sustainable, can be continued once we leave, and passed on to other families. Other projects which will be run by our team will include first aid, mental health and disability awareness workshops, a malnutrition screening, and audits into pressure sores and interpretation of vital signs in the hospital. In order to make this trip possible, each volunteer must find raise a total of €2,650, €1400 of which goes straight to the project to help with physiotherapy supplies and resources, refurbishing the hospital and covering the cost of children and families attending the cerebral palsy camp. To get the ball rolling we have set up a page where people can donate. I would kindly appreciate any donations, no matter how small, so that we can make this project possible, and I will get in touch with everyone who donates once I return, letting them know what their money has been used for. If anyone has any questions I would be happy to answer them at [email protected] a million and I hope I can return the favour in some way,Isabelle :)

Voluntary organisation for UCD students, staff and graduates to engage in volunteering and global citizenship education programmes.

• €100
  Katie Purtill

• €10
  Eoghan O Keeffe

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  Patrick Loftus

• €20
  Marie Leahy

• €10
  Emma Murphy

• €20
  Maeve Cox

• €50
  Ais Ni Choilligh

• €100
  Margaret Kolb

• €10
  Siobhan Quirke

• €100
  Robert corridan

• €20
  Julie Kelly

• €50
  Anna Hinsberger

• €20
  Mairead O Donoghue

  Best of luck Isabelle

• €25
  John Cox

• €20
  Shane O'Connor

• €20
  Naoise Griffin

• €20
  Ronan Finn