from small acorns......

     So, here I am, off to Nepal in just over a week. Strange how things work. Plans have fallen into place sooo easily. As midwifery has always been part of my plan, so has taking my skills to support those in less privileged places. It's that time in my life (you know, the bit after kids aren't quite so needy and before they drop kids of their own, and parents aren't quite so old and decrepit...), and that time in my career where I should be considering what's important to me. There seems no good reason for not putting my skills and life experience to good use. This is a real adventure, and one that will undoubtedly take me outside my comfort zone.

    Where to start? I wrote several emails to Birth Centres worldwide, offering short-term voluntary support. Laxmi Tamang, in association with Midwifery Society of Nepal (MIDSON) and the Birth Centre near Kathmandu (apskkendra.org), replied warmly, enthusiastically and immediately. I bought a flight ticket online that evening, and before long I found the funds to get myself and about twenty cases full of equipment over to Nepal. Easy as that (well, not quite! You HAVE to have really lovely friends too).

    Half of the funds have been raised by painting and selling advent candles for Christmas. Massive thanks to all who bought them and sold them to friends. I want to say a very special thanks to Sharon and Cindy who both went on a mission of their own to raise funds and awareness for my trip. What awesome women! I take my hat off to you both, and I'm so pleased to call you friends (I really wouldn't want you as enemies..). Thanks to Hilary for doing whatever she needed to do to her husband for the electronic equipment. I'd consider whatever it was to be worth while. I recieved money gifts from a buddhist chanting group, a women's 'moon' group, people who prefered to give money rather than send christmas cards, daughters of friends, fathers of footballers, and the list goes on...
     I expected to plan more fundraising events, maybe carol singing? fancy dress ball? but I'm bowled over by the generosity of family, friends and colleagues who have rallied round and found the funds for new equipment, and searched the back cupboards for unused and unwanted items to fill my case to overflowing. Ladies have knitted both premmy and term baby hats to take over; many thanks to you all. Practicing Midwife magazine, Midmeds medical supplies, MIDIRS, Lansinoh, National Childbirth Trust, Body Shop, Royal College of Midwives, Liz Nightingale Purple Walnut midwifey, amongst others have contributed someway, small or large, to providing the Kathmandu Birth Centre with vital equipment.

You want a list?
2 x sonicaid dopplers.
various essential oils for enhancement of normal birth.
3 x resuscitation bags and masks for neonates, and various sized airway maintenance equipment.
Manual breast pump.
5 x pinard stethoscopes.
3 x tourniquets.
10plus x metal cuscos.
24 x premmy hats.
Hanging baby scales.
4 x digital thermometers.
Many many syringes, needles, swabs.
4 x electronic sphygmomanometers.
12 x Midwifery magazines.
Real life size female pelvis.
30plus x 'goody' bags of hat, nappy, toothbrush, lansinoh, bodyshop sachets, etc as gifts for new mums.
T shirts for birthing.
Old and new delivery instruments.
3 x new suturing sets including forceps, needle holders and scissors.
24plus x suturing thread packs.
50plus x cord clamps.
600 x plastic aprons.
Educational 'breastfeeding' and 'normal birth' posters.
100 x uristix.
'Normal Birth Campagne' cards, posters and keyrings.

     OK, twenty cases is a slight exageration. But it's true to say I have been offered more than I can sensibly take with me. Now, what to do with the overflow? Midwifery friends are going to Uganda in the summer. The sad fact is that we as a nation seem to be throwing far too much out, and others are crying out for these provisions. A new mission? to get this stuff where it's needed. Top of the wish list? a garage to store it. Offers?