Weird stuff Shoeless posts

[Shoeless]

https://plus.google.com/photos/10359...69743319165373

This is Pol Poch, an extremely lucky young 14 year old. He lives in a village in the far north of Siem Reap Province, Cambodia - about 2 and a half hours drive from Siem Reap town - if the roads are not flooded by the monsoon rains. He is the second youngest of 8 children and lives with his mother, father and five of his siblings in a small 4 metre square, palm leaf constructed house.

So why is Pol Poch so lucky? Some weeks ago, his parents realized that there was something wrong with their youngest son. They took him to the local health centre but after several days, he was no better, and his family decided to use their small amount of savings to take him to Siem Reap where he was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes. In Cambodia, most Type 1 diabetics die before they receive treatment and it is rare that they live much beyond their 20s simply because of the cost of daily insulin, lack of understanding of the condition and cost of transport to receive counseling and treatment. For the moment, his supply of insulin is assured but his family cannot afford glucose test strips, a daily supply of ice to keep his insulin cool, a balanced diet or extra tests he may need from time to time.

He will require insulin every day for the rest of his life and he will have to learn how to manage his blood glucose levels through diet. In order to do this, he needs to test his blood glucose levels several times during the day and adjust his insulin intake accordingly. The supply of insulin is assured for the moment but he still needs testing strips – about $12 for a pack of 50 ( he will need to use about 5 a day); batteries for a glucometer that Diabetes Clinic can provide on loan; ongoing regular tests at the clinic. Ice is about 500 Riels per day (12 cents) and the clinic can provide the family with an ice box.

The family relies on a car battery for electricity to power two lights in their home. Cooking is done on wood fire. All the family get up at 4.00 am and go straight to the rice fields to work for two hours before returning home for breakfast at 6.00 am (they work as field hands for a landowner - no land of their own). When they have had breakfast the two youngest children (Pol) cycle two kilometres to their primary school which they attend from 7.00am to 11.00 am.
The rest of the family go back to work in the rice fields.

Breakfast, lunch and dinner are usually rice with perhaps a vegetable or sometimes, traditional porridge. Very occasionally they may have chicken or fish with their rice in the evening when they eat at 6.00 pm. By 7.00 pm the younger children are asleep in bed ready to start again early the next morning. This is not a very good diet for a diabetic.

If you are interested in making a donation to help Pol Poch to manage his diabetes and enable him to live a healthy life, please contact me.
Thank you.

hmmm - figuring out how to get the image to show - hang on. Arggh - dont know how to get the image in the message sorry.

[Dobber]

looks like you gotta make your album public in order for us to view

[Shoeless]

looks like you gotta make your album public in order for us to view

Ah - thanks D - it's just a picture of the kid at the clinic. Will see what I can do anyway. (Got it done)

A big shout out to Gainerama and Mr. McGoo for getting this going - we already have enough from all sources to fund 8 months worth of test strips for the kid's glucometer. That's a big deal for a new type 1 diabetic who has no money.

[Shoeless]

Stick tap to Ryan Ma for adding generously to the fund that will help this kid deal much more easily with some rough cards he got dealt. Trust me - having type 1 diabetes in a rather remote village in the jungle is not much fun. This fund translates directly to saving a life.

Thanks Ryan.