Crowdfunding for our Cambodia Sensory Spaces

SicKids opens a first-of-its-kind Sensory Space in southern Cambodia, to enhance medical and nursing care for children and young people

• First-of-its-kind facility will provide valuable support for children and young people attending the M’Lop Tapang children’s centre in Sihanoukville

• It’s the second SicKids Sensory Space to open, after the first was unveiled at North Manchester General Hospital in September 2017

• The sensory space was opened by Roth Chanphalkun, Co-Director of M’Lop Tapang, and Fairfield General Hospital’s consultant paediatrician Dr Bratati Bose-Haider, who spent a week providing medical clinics and outreach work for children and young people who will benefit greatly from the Sensory Space

SicKids, a children and young people’s health charity working in the North West of England and in Cambodia, is delighted to have held the grand opening of The SicKids Sensory Space at M’Lop Tapang, a non-governmental organisation whose services reach over 7,500 children and young people in the Sihanouk province of southern Cambodia.

The sensory space is the first-of-its-kind in Cambodia, and has been built thanks to the generosity of SicKids’ supporters and Rompa®, a leading supplier of sensory equipment.

Sensory facilities are proven to support the development of the senses – like touch, hearing and sight – through special lighting, music, tactile objects and a calming environment.

The SicKids Sensory Space at M’Lop Tapang is the second sensory facility opened by SicKids. As the charity’s supporters will know SicKids’ vision is to support the health and wellbeing of children and young people in both the North West and in Cambodia, South East Asia. While the two regions are geographically and culturally divergent, the Trustees of SicKids believe there are stark similarities and opportunities for health professionals in both countries to share knowledge and develop strategies to relieve sickness and enhance the wellbeing of children and young people.

Since the opening of the first SicKids Sensory Space at North Manchester General Hospital in September, children have benefitted from the life-enhancing opportunities it offers 24/7.

Now the same opportunities are available in one of Cambodia’s poorest regions, where developmental delay is prevalent among children and young people, due to health concerns related to poverty.

SicKids regularly awards grants to UK medical professionals to travel to Cambodia to travel and spend time learning from the health and social care teams there. The outcomes of this include improved medical knowledge for all concerned, and enhanced medical care offered to children and young people.

We’ve seen a significant positive impact on children and young people in Cambodia, including better asthma control, improved development, and the launch of new guidelines for managing paediatric conditions. SicKids’ grant recipients have also provided First Aid training to over 60 Cambodian community workers, and delivered the first known workshop on baby massage in Cambodia.

With Dr Bratati Bose-Haider’s visit, children, young people and health and social care workers in Sihanoukville have benefitted from the expertise and experience of one of the UK’s most notable children’s doctors.

During the week-long trip to Cambodia, in which the sensory space was built, Dr Bratati and Professor Andrew treated almost 70 children, both in the medical clinic and on outreach in the community. The SicKids team broadcasted a daily vlog on YouTube as a video diary of the week. It can be found on the SicKids YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCEQ7m6r8vgFm8d6ztug1YOg

The Trustees (Andrew, Den, Dianne and Jimmy) send you their very best wishes for the Festive Season and we look forward to another year of hard work – and more projects – for SicKids in 2018.

Thank you for your amazing support!

December 2017

Links:

• SicKids team broadcasted a daily vlog on YouTube
• Our Twitter account
• Our website