Greetings from Vancouver... and Nepal

[ribekak]

Thank you very much for this incredible reference. It’s been a valuable resource in updating our antibody investigation policies here in Vancouver. I’m currently in the process of preparing our regional manuals for upload to our paperless Quality Management System.

Don't know if this is the appropriate venue, but I thought I’d drop a quick line to raise awareness of a cause I’ve recently become involved with (bloodbank-related)...

Karing for Kanti Kids

I am currently set to travel to Nepal in mid-October with Medical Mercy Canada, an NGO involved in providing medical and health assistance/instruction to select communities around the world. We are planning to complete a 21-day trek from Kathmandu to Everest Base Camp (October 26th to November 17th).

It's a charity trek organized by a 75-year old Calgary woman, Elsie James, who is the director for the Nepalese branch of Medical Mercy Canada. The trek is to commemorate her initial 1995 trek from Jiri to EBC and to celebrate her 75th birthday. They hope to raise $75,000 to open a blood bank and hematology laboratory at Kanti Children's Hospital in Kathmandu.

The following is taken from a recent appeal sent out by Elsie:

For those of us living comfortably in one of the developed countries of this old World of ours, it is hard to imagine the every day living challenges faced by our brothers and sisters in the Third World, whose lives are less blessed than our own.

For example, in Nepal, a country of more than 25 Million people, there is only one government supported, ill-equipped, 350-bed hospital dedicated to caring for sick children. Just one – think of it….despite the fact that approximately 42% of Nepal’s citizens are children under 15 years of age! That’s a ratio of 0.000033 beds per child.

The dedicated Doctors and nurses can do only so much! Even compassion has its limits. Children are dying needlessly for want of some very basic services at Kanti Childlren’s Hospital in Kathmandu.

One of their most urgent needs is a Blood Bank and Hematology Lab within the hospital facility. Medical Mercy Canada, an NGO working in Nepal, is inviting people to join them in their commitment to establish a Blood Bank at Kanti Hospital in 2010. This is something I'm involved with and it'd be terrific if you could get involved.

HOW can you help? There are several ways…….

1. If you live in North America, you can make a donation by mailing a cheque payable to Medical Mercy Canada Society. Mail the donation to #6 – 1216 – 34 Ave NE, Calgary AB Canada, T2E 6L9. Please note on the cheque or money order “Trek 4 Kanti Kidsâ€. MMC is a registered Charity in Canada. Donations of $20 or more are eligible for an Income Tax Receipt

2. On-line donations may be made by first going to the MMC website at http://www.medicalmercycanada.org and clicking on the link Please designate your donation for “Trek 4 Kanti Kidsâ€

3. If you are coming to Nepal Sep – Dec, 2009, we hope you’ll buy a unique “Karing 4 Kanti Kids†T-Shirt, They will go on sale at key locations in the Thamel area of Kathmandu in late September (date and locations to be announced on this Forum in early September) with all profits going to the Kanti project. Help us create an awareness of the project by wearing your Kanti shirt on the trail.

4. Join our “Trek 4 Kanti Kids†departing Kathmandu Oct 26 trekking from Jiri to EBC or meet us Nov 3 in Lukla. You’ll be one of the guests at Stilltrekkin’s 75th birthday party at Everest Base Camp, Nov 11 – the group returns to Kathmandu Nov 17 by flight from Lukla. Two hundred US dollars of your trek package cost will be donated to the Blood Bank fund. The bonus… good company and a guaranteed great time!

Space is limited (10 to 12 persons max) so if you would like to come to the party, please email for itinerary and details asap.

I hope that you will choose to be one of the people who helps us to reach our goal of $75.000 CAD (or more) for Kanti Children’s Hospital…what a great birthday present that would be!

If any of you would like to join the trek, or would like further information, please email me for details.

Thanks again.

Ribeka Kim

B.Sc. MLT

ribekak@gmail.com

[RR1]

Welcome to BBT Ribeka, and good luck on your trek

[Cliff]

Welcome Ribeka