Songkan is a six-month old baby boy born in breach position presenting bottom first. There was a delay in getting him out and this resulted in lack of oxygen to the brain. He spent the first 2 months in ICU with a variety of problems, then was sent home. Due to infection he has been readmitted to hospital. He takes food and water through a NG tube and is unable to eat normally. He breathes through a hole in the trachea and requires oxygen 24/7. His parents report that he can see and hear, although there is significant brain damage so unsure who much the he understands or recognizes. He appears to have normal, but slowed, reflexes.

Songkan is best at home with his family but they require training how to use the suction machine, care of the trachea etc. When the nursing staff are happy that the family are ready we will provide a suction machine (approx 8,000B), a large oxygen (approx 4,000 B), a small oxygen (approx 2,000B) and a respiration kit (1,500B). The nurses estimate that he will be ready for discharge in around 2 weeks.

We visited him and his mother at Banglamung Hospital along with Margie and Pai from Hand to Hand plus Jenna, who is an Irish nurse. The boy breathes through a tracheotomy and food bypasses his mouth by going straight into his stomach. The mother is very attentive and is learning how to take care of her son on her own, once he is discharged. Ahead of that, we will get hold of the necessary equipment through a hospital in BKK and will follow up once the boy is home..

On Thursday, August 23, the YWCA and Jesters went to Pothisampan School in Naklua to test the eyes of 200 students and staff and hand out glasses provided by David Anderson from Sight First.

The optometrists first used the eye test machine to check the kids’ sight and after that they went to the next station, where another technician fine-tuned the results via test glasses with interchangeable lens based on the kids’ ability to read the eye chart.

After getting their final results, the real fun began when they went to the table covered with hundreds of glasses to pick out their choice of styles. A lot to time was spent in front of the mirrors trying on different  frames, and asking for advice from their peers. And in  the end, there was a lot of satisfied smiling faces

We could not believe how much Fah Sai had progressed after only 3 months!

She was now expressive, animated, smiling and full of unabandoned laughter. She was vocal too; not only uttering some intelligible words, but also letting out shrieks of pure joy!

Fah Sai can now sit in a chair without straps and feed herself, as well as lift her arms to point at objects she wants. Moreover, the staff says she has started to walk with her feet flat on the floor when held upright by her arms.

The finale of the visit was when we gathered in the canteen along with staff and the rest of kids to celebrate her birthday with cake, song and presents. Once again Fah Sai surprised us by showing she knew how to blow out candles and tear open presents like any other kid on such an occasion. The beauty of it all is that we know, she’s going to keep improving.

For someone who suffered most of her young tender life and to see her now in such bliss, it touches our hearts and makes us feel extremely good inside.

And to all of you, our gracious sponsors, who allow children like this to have better lives, we hope you feel the same too. After all, Fah Sai is part of our growing extended family.

A special thanks to Dieter at The Thai in Regensburg, Germany, who helps us raise funds and has taken a special interest in Fah Sai.

Fah Sai has been selected as the most suitable to start receiving botox treatment. Botox treatment for children with Celebal Palsy (in Thailand) are normally only possible by the rich. Botox is a long term process and must be combined with extensive physiotherapy to have any long term development. Typically, intense physical therapy should be for 2 hours plus 2 hours of moderate physical therapy, per day. Camillian Home can only afford one hour of physical therapy per child however Alain, a volunteer at Camillian Home with a nursing background will help to make up the balance 2 to 3 days per week. They have two qualified physical therapists who will start to volunteer within the year that should be able to make up the remaining therapy.

Fah Sai was also treated to a day out with the Camillian Home, this is the first time she has ever experienced anything like this and she laughed and smiled the whole day :) http://www.camillianhomelatkrabang.org/component/content/article/1-latest-news/138-beach-trip-to-pattaya

The Jesters Motorcycle Club have provided another Honda PCX this year as the top Grand Raffle prize for our Gala Party Night on September 22^nd at the Amari Orchid Pattaya. Last year’s Honda PCX prize was 125 cc and white, while this year’s is a 150 cc and red. The value of the prize is 80,000 baht. Grand Raffle ticket books go on sale in July at 50 baht each or 12 for 500 baht.

Friday, April 20^th was a different kind of event for Jesters Care for Kids. The Pullman Pattaya Hotel G hosted Yves Baron (Le Tenor) with donations going to Jesters Care for Kids.

Photograph courtesy of Chaianan Moontreephakdee

The evening started off with a beautiful sunset, cocktails and a light breeze off the gulf.  At 7pm, Yves started us off with Con te Partiro and we even had Frank Sinatra’s My way in French. The audience loved Yves and showed their appreciatation in raising 15,750 baht for Care for Kids. A fantastic evening, a world away from Pattaya’s normal nightlife. Big thank you’s go to Yves Baron, Cecilia Pitre and Pullman Aisawan Hotel G for hosting the evening.

Last Saturday, April 7^th, Erle helped us with our monthly distribution of rice and milk to poor families with disabled children. We usually do this on the first Saturday of the month from the Nong Prue Municipality under the banner of the Share Love with a Friend Project and Jesters Care for Kids. We also provide wheelchairs and walking aids as needed and always consider assisting special cases.

Since some families have great difficulty bringing their disabled kids to our distribution point, we often deliver the goods to their homes scattered around the dark side. These visits always remind us about the abject poverty they endure.

Fah Sai, our 3-year old girl with cerebral palsy, who had been abandoned by her parents, has now found a new loving home to cater to her needs and disability.

Pai, director of the Hand to Hand Foundation, who initially rescued her from a perilous environment, became her primary care-giver bringing her to their center during the day and to her home at night. Still Fah Sai needed professional care and daily physical therapy.

As of last Saturday, March 24^th, we finally moved her in to the Camillian Home in Lat Krabang, where she  is now resident and will continue to get 24/7 loving care.

You may remember Fah Sai from a previous post, she is being taken care of at Hand to Hand currently and suffers from cerebral palsy.

Her father died, her mother is in jail and never tries to contact her. Fah Sai was neglected when she was young left lying on the floor most of the time and never given any chance for physical activity to strengthen her limbs. Now that she is being cared for and getting physical therapy, she is gradually getting some use of her legs.

We agreed to buy her a wheelchair, which as you can see she is very happy with. We also have some good news regards a new more permanent home for her. Camillian Home have agreed to give Fah Sai the care and attention she needs to grow into a strong and independent little girl. There is a lot of red tape to get through due to her background but we are getting there.