Saturday, June 28, 2008

Thursday, June 19, 2008

Pipe Line to Burma. A Musical Fundraiser for the Victims of the Myanmar / Burma Cyclone. Proceeds go to local organizations assisting in the relief work including RoseCharities Organized by Len Walker and 'Tsunami Haven' . Saturday 21st June. Nanaimo. See www.RoseCharities.ca for link to more information. Pipeline to Burma. Donations via www.TsunamiHaven.org or www.CanadaHelps.org (and look under Rose Charities)

Saturday, May 31, 2008

Update Emergency missions 1st June 2008

Sichuan

AMDA has so far dispatched 29 personnel (including 12 doctors, 8 nurses, 1 pharmacist) in collaboration with other AMDA Chapters. According to local report, relief supplies such as tents, blankets and sleeping bags are in need for evacuees out on the streets. The evacuees were obliged to move out from homes which could easily collapse in the case of after shock.

1. AMDA HQ/Taiwan Emergency Medical Mission in Sichuan

i) Sichuan Academy of Chinese Medicine Sciences in Chengdu

AMDA has formed its third relief team on May 23rd for further medical assistance at the Sichuan Academy of Chinese Medicine Sciences. The team comprises 3 doctors, 2 nurses and 1 coordinator. Despite after two weeks from the devastating quake, still a number of patients have been waiting for surgical operations as well as traumatic cases commonly seen. Beside surgeries AMDA doctors are providing counseling for the latter cases.

ii) West China Hospital in Chengdu

On May 22nd AMDA’s second team has completed its four-day mission at the West China Hospital which included 2 surgeons

iii) Mobile clinic in Anxien

AMDA’s first team held mobile clinic at the mountainous village in the suburbs of Anxien. The clinic was held at a local school used for evacuation shelter.

2. Evacuation site in Sufang
AMDA’S relief team (1 surgeon, 2 nurses, 1 coordinator) has been continuing its medical relief at a gym

Myanmar

Mobile health team expands work

AMDA’s clinical staff and local township medical personnel have been workign in the remote areas of Mankaleik
RHC (Rural Health Center) of Kungyangon Township
in Yangon Division.


With 17 members, 5 doctors, 2 health assistants,
1 midwife, 3 nurses, 1 coordinator,
4 health assistants, and 1 logistic assistant in total,
the team has decided to split in two teams so as to
effectively reach severely-affected remote communities.

Under the coordination of TMO (Township Medical Officer)
of Kungyangon Township, the mobile teams plan to extend
their coverage areas to Dayae Lu RHC
and Let Khoke Gon SH (Station Hospital) sections
as soon as they complete the work in Taw Kuu.

In addition to clinical services, the teams also provide
sanitary items such as soap and water purifying tablet
along with IEC materials.

The program is based on the following...

1.Provide medical care and support to needy patients
in timely and professional manner.
2.Coordinate field work in line with MoH guidelines,
in particular those of the ER section.
3.Collaborate with existing health infrastructure and
personnel on the ground, in particular ones
in the public sector, who know the area most.
4.Promote participation from community members
who suffered but are willing to give hands
to their neighbors.
5.Maintain communication channels with various stakeholders
that include UN agencies and diplomatic missions.












AMDA-RoseCharities Canada support these missions. Please donate via www.CanadaHelps.org AMDA-Rose Charities Canada is run by volunteers and so there are almost zero administration costs. All your donation goes entirely to one or other mission (as chosen by yourself)

Sunday, May 25, 2008





Images from AMDA Emergency Relief Clinics Myanmar



Friday, May 23, 2008

Update 23rd May. Sichuan Earthquake relief

1. AMDA Taiwan Emergency Medical Mission in Sichuan
On May 17th, after having obtained permission from local authority and
assessment of the area previous days, AMDA Taiwan Mission carried out
medical activities in a village located in a mountainous region of
Anxian. 3 tents were provided to the mission where temporary clinic was
set up. 10 patients received treatment.
AMDA Taiwan Mission, consisting of 17 medical professionals, was joined
by Mr. Nithian Veeravagu, a coordinator from AMDA Headquarters, Okayama,
Japan.
On May 18th, the mission was instructed by local authority to evacuate
the area because of the possibility of dam breaks. AMDA Taiwan donated
medical supplies to village hospital and doctors and headed toward
Chengdu.
On May 19th, Sichuan Provincial Health Department issued permission for
AMDA Taiwan Mission to work at West China Hospital, West China School of
Medicine, Sichuan University(Chengdu) AMDA Taiwan Emergency Medical
Mission is the first overseas organization to receive such permission to
join the staff of West China Hospital in their efforts to treat the
victims of the earthquake disaster. As of 19th, there are 2 orthopedic
doctors, 2nurses and 2 coordinators in the mission.

2. AMDA Sichuan Emergency Medical Mission
AMDA Sichuan Emergency Medical Mission made up of 1 surgeon, 2 nurses,
and 1 coordinator. The team continues to provide medical care to the
victims in a gym, designated evacuation spot in Sufang.

Rose Charities Canada supports AMDA Canada and AMDA International. Please donate via www.CanadaHelps.org All donaations to the China Earthquake fund go to these efforts.

Tuesday, May 20, 2008



Myanmar / Burma update relief Update 20-May-08

AMDA mobile clinics (commenced 11-May-08) continue to operate at full capacity. Hundreds of victims treated though needs are overwhelming.

Please Donate via Canada Helps. www.CanadaHelps.org - Rose Charities is listed there in the emergency donor section. All donations go directly to the AMDA clinics which began their work within a few days after the cyclone had struck.

Friday, May 16, 2008

China earthqake and Myanmar cyclone disaster update 16th May 2008

For todays update please cut and paste into your server the YouTube clip
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z4ws4-rT1LU

Or go to www.YouTube.com and search under AMDA Canada (or) RoseCharities

AMDA International field assessor Veeravagu Nithiananthan is now on site working with combined AMDA team. Expected to report back to AMDA HQ in next 24 hours re further team deployment.

Myanmar and China: Donations continue to be needed. Please see www.CanadaHelps.org where Rose Charities is listed

Thursday, May 15, 2008


Updates 15th May 2008

China earthquake:
An AMDA-RoseCharities Canada / Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) response team is now preparing to leave for Szechuan. Dr Collin Yong (AMDA-Rose Canada) is planning to join the CUHK team members in Hong Kong and proceed from there to Szechuan. Yesterday the AMDA Japan / AMDA Taiwan team departed to join their local medical response counterparts in the area.
Dr Collin Yong is a pediatrician at B.C. Childrens Hospital and has extensive international experience including tsunami in Sri Lanka (see picture) on the AMDA-RoseCharities team.

Myanmar. Clinic work continues as per report yesterday. The death toll is now officially over 40.000 and it is likely that there are many more dying daily as many of the areas affected are reported to be still isolated.

Donors. A huge thankyou to all those donors who have helped so far. RoseCharities funds go directly to the Myanmar clinic and the China earthquake medical team support. We are all volunteers so there are no administration fees. Easiest donation method is via www.CanadaHelps.org (look under Rose Charities). There, you can choose either cause. Donations are tax deductable. Please help if you can even small amounts add up.

Wednesday, May 14, 2008

Myanmar cyclone relief update. 14th May 2008

1. AMDA has started Mobile clinic activities from the 11th of May for
the victims of recent cyclone.

2. The clinic is conducted by local medical professionals under the guidance
of the local Ministry of Health.

3. AMDA-RoseCharities Canada have dispatched funds to help with this effort. Further funds are needed.

DONORS. Please see www.CanadaHelps.org (and look under Rose Charities)
Szechuan China Earthquake update 14th May 2008

AMDA-RoseCharities Canada is involved now in the following initatives

1) Supporting and AMDA Taiwan / AMDA HQ medical support team initiative scheduled to start work today with local counterparts

2) Sending of an experienced AMDA-RoseCharities paediatrician to join University of Shanghai paediatric relief team within next few days

3) Liaising with contacts at Chinese University of Hong Kong to recruit professional personnel to assist activities

4) Fund raising for above initiatives and or general relief for this disaster

DONORS. Please go to www.CanadaHelps.org and look under Rose Charities.
There is a special donation field for the Chinese Earthquake Relief fund. UK, USA, Australia, NZ donors can also go through their own RoseCharities group sites (see www.RoseCharities.net ). Thank you. Everything you donate goes to relief with zero admin. costs as Rose Charities is run by volunteers.

Tuesday, May 13, 2008

Szechuan (China) earthquake, and Myanmar relief updates 13th May 2008


A powerful earthquake with a 7.9 magnitude hit the central region of China. The earthquake brought down buildings schools and chemical plants, killing about 10,000 people in the towns set in the hilly areas north of Sichuan’s provincial capital Chengdu. The earthquake happened at about 14:30 and could be felt as far as Vietnam. Rescuers are still searching frantically for more survivors among the rubble. Continuing rain in the region is hampering the effort of rescue. According to the latest news, in the town of Juyuan, south of the epicenter, a three story high school collapsed, burying about 900 students and killing at least 50.

Rose Charities is supporting its senior partner in international disaster relief, AMDA. AMDA Taiwan has a request pending to the Chinese Government to send a relief team and AMDA HQ is in negotiation to send a team from Japan. AMDA-RoseCharities Canada has experienced disaster personnel standing by (Dr Collin Yong - B.C. Childrens's Hospital, and R.N. Kirsten Reems - VHG) and is collecting donations and resources to assist.

In Myanmar, AMDA Myanmar health team is currently assisting in the disaster area manned mainly by local AMDA employees and volunteers. Funding has been sent form AMDA-Rose Canada but more is needed.

Friday, May 09, 2008



News from AMDA Myanmar Relief. Also see www.AMDA.or.jp

May 08, 2008

Myanmar Cyclone Disaster I

Early morning of the 2nd of May a powerful cyclone, Nargis hit the central and southern part of Myanmar. According to the state owned TV station there are 22,000 people confirmed dead and more than 41,000 are missing. The assessment of damaged has been faced with delays and the number of victims is more likely to increase. According to some latest unconfirmed reports the death toll might rise up to 100,000.

According to the Government of Myanmar 5 regions, Yangon, Ayeyarwady, Bago divisions and Mon and Kayin States have been affected by the Cyclone and as a result are decreased as disaster areas. It is also reported that there are more than 100,000 people are facing lack of evacuation centers and drinking water. Many of them are seeking shelters at their relatives or friend’s house and temples.

Because of the scale of disaster and AMDA’s presence in the country for more than ten years, there have been a lot of inquiries and interest from the media, general public as well as from our partners and donors. The safety of AMDA-MINDS staffs (2 Japanese and 9 local staffs) is confirmed and there are no injuries. However it was reported that some of the local staff’s home were damaged by the cyclone and water.

Because of the damage to the infrastructure communication was quite difficult to establish and fallen trees and roofless houses can be seen everywhere. Cost of living has soared since the disaster. Cost of food has doubled and the bus fare has gone up by 20 times. Markets and banks have partially opened in Yangon. Public hospitals have suffered considerable damages from the cyclone and some of them are not in operation. Infrastructure has broken down and most of them are still not in operation. Especially water is causing a lot of concern. Many of the victims are drinking lake water which may result in greater health problem. Myanmar Government’s national disaster center is asking the world community for the following items: funding, medicine, tent, blue sheets, instant food, construction material, blankets, and summer clothing.
Considering the scale of damage AMDA is planning to mobilize local doctors and medical staff from the current office location in central dry area to the affected areas.

Head quarter plans to organize mobile clinic with AMDA Myanmar office and its local staff and has already given instruction to get the approval from the government.
UN, its agencies and other big organizations are sending in relief goods to Myanmar. AMDA could act as a coordinator in distributing these goods to the people in need. The instruction has been also given to look into the possibilities.
Latest news:
Early this morning (8th May) one of the head quarter staff has left Japan for Bangkok to purchase relief items for the victims.

Wednesday, May 07, 2008

MYANMAR CYCLONE RELIEF UPDATE

Current estimates.. 22,000 dead, over 100,000 (probably more) homeless. Many areas still cut off. AMDA-RoseCharities Canada is supporting AMDA HQ and AMDA Myanmar relief efforts. Below is latest update of progress....


AMDA Headquarters staff are in close contact with AMDA Myanmar office
since May 3rd. Because of the damage to the infrastructure
communication was quite difficult to establish but thanks to the hard
work of our staff we are keeping good communication line with the
Myanmar office. AMDA's office has also been hit by cyclone and some of
our local staff have suffered damages to their houses but fortunately
they all are fine and eager to offer assistance to other victims.
According to their information, cost of living has soared since the
disaster. Markets and banks have partially opened in Yangon. There are
no official evacuation sites for the victims, many of them are seeking
shelters at their relatives or friends house. Public hospitals have
suffered considerable damages from the cyclone and some of them are not
in operation. Rich people go to private clinics for the treatment of
injuries. Infrastructure has broken down and most of them are still not
in operation. Especially water is causing a lot of concern. Many of
the victims are drinking lake water which may result in greater health
problem. Myanmar Government's national disaster center is asking the
world community for the following items: funding, medicine, tent, blue
sheets, instant food, construction material, blankets, and summer
clothing.
AMDA's position at this moment....
1 Centers are being set up to take care of the health problem.
As many of the big organizations, such as UN and
related organizations, have been faced with difficulties getting into
the country, AMDA's achievement in the past and our present activities
in Myanmar are great advantage in implementing ER activities this time.
Our Yangon office is useful as a strategic basis
for ER activities.
2. Our Myanmar activities in Myanmar means that . There we have local doctors and other staff members
working for our project who can be very good possible human resources
for our ER activities.
3. Our International Chapter members are also our great assets as
usual. ASEAN countries have easier access to Myanmar. Many of them do
not need visa to enter Myanmar. As we have chapters in these countries,
Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, and the Philippines, we may be able to
form AMMM depending on the permission from Myanmar government. Nepal as
well as India Chapters may also be able to take part in this. AMDA Canada
is offering assistance as well. Whether we are able to
dispatch AMMM to Myanmar or not, depends on the permission from Myanmar
Government.

The plan:
1. Medical... Mobile clinics with AMDA Myanmar- Govt approval pending

2. General relief... Distribution of relief materials from AMDA as well as other donating agencies

Thursday, March 20, 2008

Tuesday, March 04, 2008

Rose Charities 10 Year Conference Penang 2008

Rose Charities International, comprising a group of non-political, non-profit, secular, independent organisations based in several countries, organised its inaugural international conference and planning meeting at Cititel Penang, Malaysia, recently.

The conference, held from February 22 to 24, 2008, entitled “New Perspectives in International Response” was attended by over 30 delegates from participating countries such as Australia, Canada, Madagascar, Vietnam, Nepal, Belgium, United Kingdom, Indonesia, USA, Cambodia, New Zealand, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, Hong Kong, Zimbabwe and Guyana.

Dr B. Anthony, president of AMDA(Association of Medical Doctors of Asia) Malaysia and host-organizers of this event, shared that the conference enabled all members and supporters of Rose Charities groups and projects worldwide to meet, exchange viewpoints and create friendships, strengthen international co-operation between Rose Charities branches, define medium and long term direction and priorities for Rose Charities, provide a forum to present and discuss all aspects of field projects, new programmes and initiatives, to extend thanks and appreciation to all who have made and continue to make Rose Charities what it is today as well as to celebrate ten years of Rose Charities International project work.

The keynote lecture was presented by Dr Collin Yong from the British Columbia Children’s Hospital, Canada and amongst the other projects papers shared by the delegates were ‘Infectious Diseases and Palliative Care in the Philippines’ by Ms Lise Groot, ‘Eye Camps in Nepal’ by Dr Basant Raj Sharma, ‘Micro-credit and Community Programmes’ in Sri Lanka by Mr Anthony Richard, ‘Child Care Projects in Madagascar’ by Ms Cheryl Anne Pine, ‘Emergency Disaster Response’ by Ms Kirsten Reems, ‘Rehab Surgery in Cambodia’ by Dr Nous Sarom, and ‘Corneal Transplants & Braille Teaching in Vietnam’ by Mrs Jan Johnston.

The conference ended on a high note with the Rose Charities International 10th Anniversary banquet dinner including the presentation of “Charity Rose’ Awards 2006/2007 at Cititel Penang.

Rose Charities International is made up of a group of independent organisations based in several countries which are non-political, non-profit and secular; all linked by a common aim, which is to rehabilitate people to a better, more productive life.


It started in Cambodia in 1998 by aid workers with the aim of delivering effective, sustainable programmes directly to those in need, with minimal bureaucracy and with transparency at every stage. Their projects include developing peace among communities through programmes such as ‘Peace through Education’, ‘Vocational Training for Youths’, ‘Peace through Sports’, ‘Counselling’, ‘Leadership Training for Children, Youth and Women’, ‘Relief and rehabilitation, ‘CRO Enterprise Development’ and other educational and health related projects.

Monday, August 06, 2007

Saturday, August 04, 2007

Emergency flood relief, South Nepal...

We went early in the morning to search the affected flood area. We had also Co-Ordination by Phone with AMDA staff especially with team leader Mr. Niraula. We observed two areas where people were staying in the school leaving house because of flood.

We went each House and met with each people from the morning but AMDA group was not visited yet. So we went to search more 15 KM far area almost near border but most people were unmanageable. They had House, Animal, Food, medicine and Animal crops problems. I went each House to get data. When we came back from the border the Health camp was running in the School. I met with Mr. Niraula and introduce my team and local political leader to support him in any problem. It was very big crowd in the Health camp. It was difficult to handle staff alone. So we made plan tomorrow to appoint local volunteer to control and deal with people. We went for lunch around 3 PM but before lunch went to meet with local police officer to get actual victim and needy people's data although we were also collecting data individually. We found 160 House are almost victimized in our first observation area and near health camp area 150 House were affected.

Tomorrow we and AMDA is going to distribute ration and some cloth from our side and only cloth from AMDA side together. I have chosen spot for distribution in the police office in front of 8 political parties and social worker. We observed that we can not distribute out side because people can create trouble to us. We should put police for our security which is obviously known to Mr. Niraula [AMDA leader] looking people's attitude today in the health camp.

Goodbye. Thank You.



Binod Aryal

Sunday, June 22, 2008

Acid Violence in Cambodia


"Acid violence defies any bounds of comprehension. It is a violation born and nurtured in hell itself, pitiless, hideous evil. It takes away both skin and flesh and the very soul of the victim. And it does so with a finality that is very often absolute.

I saw my first acid violence injury around 10 years ago. I had set up Rose Charities as an extension of my previous organization, Project Iris. Iris dealt with eye injury and sight restoration but so many injuries extended beyond the eye to the face and torso. Rose went beyond the eye to facial and other injuries. Word had gone around that there were ‘foreign doctors’ helping the injured and we had set up a simple operative and treatment clinic on the outskirts of Phnom Penh. I came in in the morning and she was there in the waiting area, led brought in by a friend.

It is hard even now, even as a physician who has seen many physical horrors in a lifetime horrors to think back on that face and body. It was as though the world had brought out a being so alien, so mutated that no other thing would ever recognize it. She just sat there on the hard wooden bench as I took her hand. She could not cry, she had no tear ducts the skin fused tightly over where here eyes may or may not lie underneath. She just sat gazing forward the mottled leather membrane, the shrink-wrapped skin of her face no longer with any elasticity or innervation to display any expression.

She had been beautiful, it was the only possession of value she owned. She had got low paid job in a restaurant. She had a boyfriend. One day it seems she refused the advances of a much older man, a government official of some importance. That evening two men were waiting. They held her down and slowly poured on the acid. And they continued to hold her while it did its work.

That’s the thing. . Simply throwing acid in someone’s face gives the person time to rush to water and prevent much of the damage. Acid will continue working and if the victim is held then it can be poured onto specific areas; the eyes, the genitals, the breasts. There are of course cases where acid is simply flung at the victim, often in a large quantity, like most of a bucket full. If the victim can then get to a source of water very quickly she can limit the amount of damage – though it may still be severe and have irreversibly damaged the eyes.

Now, some 10 years later I have seen victims of acid burn attacks at our Rose Charities Surgical Rehabilitation or Eye Centers. Although statistics are scanty and subject to the inaccuracies of translation (Khmer is a notoriously difficult language to translate into English with the same exact retention of meaning) it would seem that around 50% of attack causes are the consequences of real or perceived extramarital affairs and/or other aspects of life leading to the seeking of revenge, hate, or jealousy. A further 15% are ‘accidental’ in the sense that someone, most usually a child, has gotten in the way of thrown acid. The rest result from disputes such as over land. Cambodia’s history of conflict and successive imposed governments has ensured an enormous uncertainly in land ownership resulting in claims and counter claims.

Cambodia’s conflicts of the last 50 years have been extreme and brutal. Despite attempts to keep neutral, the country became heavily involved in the Vietnam war, its people first being hit by both sides, and before eventually succumbing to one of the most genocidal regimes of human history, that of the Khmer Rouges. In this period, some 2million persons were slaughtered, tortured, starved or worked to death. Women were forcibly married to strangers, forced to watch as their children were taken away or their babies bayoneted in front of them.

The injury and illness of conflict and post conflict zones lies in three broad categories. There is ‘primary’ conflict injury, that which is mostly associated with wars; bullet wounds, blast injuries etc. Then there is ‘secondary’ which is the disease or untreated trauma caused by the conflict induced breakdown of infrastructure and then there is perhaps the most pernicious, the most long term, the ‘tertiary’ injury of the mind where the control of others is linked with violence fear, terror. While sadly the control and abuse of women is not only restricted to post conflict scenarios it may well be one reason why it remains rife in Cambodia.

The throwing of acid is particularly linked with the third and second categories above. A very weak and corrupt legal and law enforcement system (category 2) means that the control by physical abuse (category 3) is rarely punished, or prevented. The direct injuries (category 1) can be inflicted with almost no fear of being apprehended by the legal authorities, and in the event that this does occur, it is easy to buy immunity with an appropriate payment to the right person.

Rose Charities, a partner organization of ‘One in Three Women’ has been dealing with the results of violence against women in Cambodia since 1998. Over this time the range of acid injury has been very wide indeed, ranging from a few superficial covering one or two isolated areas to 60% or more body coverage with deep penetration down to (and even affecting) bone. Scalp eyes, ears and nose may be partially or entirely burned away.

Acid burns create a spectrum of disabilities for the survivor ranging far beyond the terrible disfigurement and physical disability. Livelihoods are ruined; there is social stigmatization, breakup of families, marriages and relationships. Full time care is often needed and this, in a country such as Cambodia is not provided in any way by the state. If the victim has no family or friends to look after them then they will be utterly outcast. So often the attack takes from the victim the only real asset owned in a quagmire of poverty, physical beauty, which in many societies is the only way for a woman to advance. So the damage is also both psychological and social.

Medically and surgically help may be limited. Rose Charities has two operative surgical / medical facilities in the Phnom Penh area to try to assist the victims. One deals specifically in eye care and the other with general rehabilitative surgery. Both facilities are directed by experienced Cambodian surgeons. One of these, Dr Nous Sarom is probably Cambodia’s most experienced maxillofacial surgeon and has trained extensively both with Rose Charities and previously with other organizations including Doctors without Borders. Acid contact with the skin can have an effect akin to ‘melting’. Thus adjacent areas, such as a limb with the trunk, the space between fingers can end up being fused together. There is also a shrinking effect so that the joints can be pulled into horrific distortions. Simple surgery can usually manage to release these adhesions and contractures. but more complex injuries to areas such as ears, eyes, nose or lips ideally need specialized reconstructive surgery, usually beyond the scope of the facilities available in Cambodia. Eyelids are a particular problem. Even if the eyeball itself is spared, a functioning lid is necessary to keep the surface of the eye lubricated: otherwise it will dry out, ulcerate and eye will be destroyed. Often, in the absence of the sophisticated facitlies needed, the most appropriate action is simply to suture up the remaining lids themselves, thus protecting the eye below for some unspecified time in the future when it may be exposed again.

Physiotherapy, preferably with specialized burns therapists are hugely important, but again such personnel are limited and the specialized training is lacking in Cambodia. What is then needed are the facilities for the lengthy rehabilitation process, vocational training, reintegration etc.

Over the years, Rose Charities has done what it can on its budget to improve the situation through training of surgeons, the encouraging of specialized teams to visit Cambodia and occasionally managing to send a particularly bad case for overseas treatment. Such operations however are fund limited, but the work continues.

Cambodia is a small country with a population of warm, artistic people who have a long cultural heritage leading back to roots in the great empires of South Asia. Cambodian lives are full of tradition, ceremony and colour. People smile a lot. I think back to those smiles and my heart goes out again to those who cannot smile. The world can be harsh and cruel, but surely little surpasses the cruelty of the acid attack.

William Grut MD
www.RoseCharities.org


Rose Charities was one of the first organizations to identify and target acid violence in Cambodia. Its treatment center has now been operating since 1998. It has been assisted by several specialist overseas groups who generously provide expertise and resources to help Rose Charities Surgeons deal with the problem

One such wonderful initiative has been that of the Virtue Foundation of New York

"..Led by Dr. Ebby Elahi, an oculoplastic and reconstructive surgeon, Virtue Foundation deployed a team of physicians to Phnom Penh, Cambodia in November 2004 to teach and perform plastic and reconstructive surgery at the Rose Charities Clinic, where many of the patients bear the gut-wrenching scars of callous acid attacks.
Deeply moved by the plight of a young Cambodian mother by the name of Yem and her infant daughter Sophan, who were both burned and disfigured by an acid attack that occurred while the baby was breastfeeding, Dr. Elahi arranged through the Virtue Foundation for mother and baby to travel to the United States in an attempt to prevent their blindness and to alleviate their deformities at the Mount Sinai Medical Center.
The entire cost of the patients’ treatment was donated by the Mount Sinai Medical Center and a team of highly specialized volunteer surgeons, including Dr. Ebby Elahi, Dr. Lester Silver, Dr. Penny Asbell, Dr. Michael Shohet, and Dr. Steven Rosenberg. Multiple surgical procedures on mother and child were followed by three months of intensive rehabilitation and follow-up care.
In January 2006, Dr. Elahi returned to Cambodia with a small team for another round of treatment to acid attack victims and patients in need of critical surgical care. During his visit, Dr. Elahi was heartened to once again see and provide follow-up care to both Yem and Sophan, whose surgeries in the U.S. last year had turned out to be highly successful, with the baby's vision now fully restored. Virtue Foundation hopes to deploy additional teams of physicians to Cambodia to continue the vital tasks of raising awareness of acid violence and training local physicians in surgical and reconstructive procedures."

Donations for any of these works are very gratefully accepted

www.RoseCharities.org