News and Events
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Elementary School Kids Open Hearts & Piggybanks
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Jan. 2010 - Turtleback Elementary
student Aaron met Fr. Bonaventure
last summer and learned that the
children of Mbarara needed a
hospital. His 8th
birthday was coming so he decided to
ask his birthday guests to bring
school supplies for the children of
Mbarara instead of presents. Later,
Aaron saw a video describing the
serious diseases Mbarara children
suffer from.
He was very sad and wanted to
do more to help, but didn't know
what a small boy could do for so
many in need.
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Aaron
speaks to classmates about the
children of Mbarara |
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Then Aaron had
a dream in which God told him how he could make a
difference. Aaron and two friends went to Turtleback Principal
Celeste Campbell and asked if they could tell the story of the hospital
to the entire school. She agreed and arranged for the boys to
speak at a “Friday Flag” assembly. That week, teachers also incorporated
facts about Uganda into their class lessons.
During the assembly, Aaron played Michael Jackson’s “Man in the Mirror”
and showed students a video of Holy Innocents Children’s Hospital. He
spoke about the diseases children face, and quoted Michael Jackson: “If
you wanna make the world a better place, then start with yourself and
make a change.” Aaron then asked his classmates to participate in
a “Change for Children” campaign.
The response was amazing! Kids brought change from their piggy
banks. One little girl brought some coins one day, then came with
more the next day, telling her teacher, “I was going to keep these
50-cent pieces, but I can always save more, and those children really
don’t have anything….”
The students of Turtleback Elementary have raised nearly $1,000 for Holy
Innocents Children’s Hospital.
They have learned about Uganda and have shown an extraordinary
ability to turn their compassion into action for the children of
Mbarara. Our heartfelt thanks to them all!
Children
Receive Critical Treatment; Lives Are Being Saved
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Feb. 2010 - Holy Innocents has now
treated nearly 8,000 children, including
1,400 admitted as in-patients.
Some cases are routine; in others, Holy
Innocents has made the difference
between life and death. The little
girl pictured to the right had cerebral
malaria with acute renal failure.
She was in a coma for four days, with
seizures. HI worked with her
during those acute days to provide
appropriate medications, nursing
vigilance and health care. By day
5 she began to come out of her coma, and
after two weeks she was walking around
and getting ready for discharge.
Your support has made miracles like this
possible....
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Latest Medical Mission Returns from Mbarara
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Feb. 2010 - Dr. Anita Hunter led a
25-person, two-week medical mission to
Mbarara in early January.
As part of the mission, USD
graduate nursing students completed
nursing and hospital needs assessments
and conducted workshops to address
infection control, blood transfusions,
assessments and other activities.
USD Chemistry faculty and
graduate students performed water
quality studies on the nearby river and
water sources at Holy Innocents
Children’s Hospital, hospital staff
housing and related buildings.
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Dr. Mary Coleman of Children’s Hospital Oakland worked with medical
staff to address the need for and implementation of developmental
assessments for patients.
Holy Innocents board members Mike Lynch and Dr. Mike Levy (pediatric
neurosurgeon at Rady Children’s Hospital San Diego) visited Mbarara
Diocese’ two adult hospitals, Comboni and Ibanda, to assess their
facilities and surgical suites, and worked with Dr. Hunter to design
Phase 2 of Holy Innocents Children’s Hospital, which will include
additional in-patient beds and a surgical suite.
Dr. Hunter organized and oversaw the entire mission.
As Medical Director for San Diego-based Holy Innocents Children’s
Hospital Uganda, Dr. Hunter assessed clinical care, staffing,
administration, housing and other issues that impact the care of
children admitted to the hospital.
The medical mission team collaborated with medical and nursing
staff to enhance care, worked with the hospital administrator to address
supply, staffing, and housing issues, and helped prioritize efforts to
make sure that Holy Innocents Children’s Hospital provides the best
health care possible for the children of Mbarara.
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