“You have this mindset that when you go into an area that is impoverished, you expect to see a great deal of sadness,” she said.

“Instead, when you get there you find this quiet dignity of parents who deal with their children’s disabilities on a day-to-day basis in the most difficult of circumstances,” she said. “And you see and hear the smiles and giggles of these children whose lives are incredibly hard.”

“Poverty doesn’t necessarily equate to sadness,” she said. “They taught me that.”

A properly fitted wheelchair can totally change the quality of life for these children and their families.

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Complex Rehab Technology- Essential for health. Essential for life. from NCART on Vimeo.

The First International Seating Symposium in South America was held at the Pan American Hotel in Buenos Aires, Argentina, August 18-20, 2011. The topics and the workshops were aimed at professionals in the rehabilitation field, such as physical therapists, occupational therapists, doctors, physiatrists, manufacturers, nurses, technicians licensed in orthopedics, bioengineers, educators, etc.

The main purpose of the conference was to educate, train and update attendees with the latest technology, so as to provide a better quality of life for people with disabilities.

The symposium included presentation of scientific and clinical research forums, in-depth workshops and exposition of commercial products. Presentations were made on wheelchair mobility, as well as challenges and solutions for people with permanent disability and the latest adaptations to promote independence in activities of daily living.

The main objectives of the symposium were: understanding the proper characteristics of each structure of the wheelchair and the clinical impact of the correct posture and mobility, to discuss service delivery practices (in terms of postural adjustments and types of cushions) and to see results from recent research and apply them with our patients.

During the 3 days we heard outstanding professionals like Mark Schmeler, Bengt Engstrom, Kendra Betz, Simon Hall and David Brienza, who presented the research they have done and the important conclusions, for example, the importance of cushion materials, the importance of wheelchair training for the patient and a good amount of observation of the patient prior to placing the patient in the wheelchair. Also emphasized was how posture directly influences the alertness and the ability of the client to better appreciate the stimuli that the environment provides.

During the break, I visited the booths and I could see the design of new seating adaptations for children primarily in the area of feeding, although it should be noted that these adjustments also may be helpful to an adult with impairment.

Most  important thing is that I will share what I learned with the entire team of professionals who work with me, to improve the quality of life for our patients at Yancana Huasy.

In conclusion

My participation in this First International Symposium on Seating and Posture was a truly enriching experience on both professional and personal levels. It allowed me to appreciate the great contribution that Yancana Huasy receives each year through Eleanore’s Project (who made my participation possible), through the donation of wheelchairs and other biomechanical aids. During the course of the symposium I met many colleagues from South America who work in areas other than health care and therefore it was able to exchange information that will be helpful for children at Yancana Huasy.

It was also very satisfying to feel the friendliness and warmth of the teams presenting.  I could understand better the way in which you work thanks to the demonstrations of the manufacturers and the abundant printed material that we were provided. And it was nice and refreshing to find friends of Tamara and Caroline.

The stay in this country also allowed me to learn a little about the city, customs and food that is rich and varied. Although I cannot help mentioning, nothing like that of my beloved Peru.

- Chris Ventura

The opportunity to work with Eleanore’s Project in Peru was, to put it simply, life changing.  The children and their families each had a unique and telling story that truly touched my heart. Even after returning to the daily grind of my life back home, I can still envision the faces of the people we worked with and the smiles that will stay permanently etched in my heart.

As an occupational therapy student, I was blown away by the transformation I observed as the wheelchairs were customized, one by one, to fit each individual child. On this trip, I developed a new appreciation for wheelchair seating and mobility. I now understand the special skill set and knowledge base required to properly fit wheelchairs for people. For some of the children, proper positioning allowed them to self propel their wheelchair, thus independently moving for the first time. For others, positioning their hips and stabilizing their trunks in the wheelchair gave these children the support they needed to move their head and arms independently.

These results did not instantly occur the moment these children were put in their wheelchairs for the first time. It took the critical thinking, clinical reasoning, and mechanical talent of the occupational therapist to achieve the desired outcome. With the help of the Eleanore’s Project team and the Peruvian students and professions, over 100 children received customized wheelchairs during our two-week stay. The work continued after we left as our Peruvian partners fitted more children for wheelchairs and they will continue to provide assistance to the families we served.

It has been a few weeks since I arrived home to Minneapolis and as I reflect on my experience in Peru I have come to a conclusion. The impact of Eleanore’s Project is so much greater than what is accomplished during our stay. Almost like a fire, the knowledge and education provided continues to spread both here in the United States and in Peru. It may be a brush fire now, but I envision it spreading like wild fire in the future. May the support for Eleanore’s Project continue for years and years so that the 100 children helped over the two weeks this year turns in to hundreds which turns into thousands in the years to come

A family waits for their son's wheelchair in Arequipa, Peru. More photos from the 2011 Peru expedition are available in the photo gallery.

March 2011 saw us working in Lima, Peru at Yancana Huasy, followed by a week in Arequipa working with Equip KIDS.

Over the two weeks of wheelchair clinics we saw over 100 children and youth fitted in wheelchairs appropriate for their needs. We left an additional 80 wheelchairs in Peru to be fit by our partners after we left. Our colleagues now complete wheelchair evaluations and fittings routinely for many recipients, saving only the most complex needs for consultation with our team.

This has been a year of expanding our focus on building capacity and sustainability in wheelchair services both in Peru and in the United States in key areas: student programs, manufacturing and education.

Student programs

2012 will be the fifth year of our affiliation with St. Catherine University. The program continues to thrive, and we are told that this learning opportunity for occupational therapy students draws applicants to the St. Kate’s program. We are formalizing a more organized approach to integrating Peruvian OT students into our Lima wheelchair clinics, through collaboration between Eleanore’s Project, St. Catherine University and San Marcos University in Lima. Through these efforts we are proud to be training a new generation of therapists in the United States and Peru, preparing them to provide high quality care for wheelchair users.

“I now understand the special skill set and knowledge base to properly fit wheelchairs for people.”

— Molly Wadsworth, St. Catherine University student

Manufacturing

A long-term goal of Eleanore’s Project is to empower our partners in Peru to make and maintain their own equipment. Thanks to a generous donor, and the inspiration of long-time volunteer Sammie Wakefield, we commissioned a small manufacturing project through the Yancana Huasy workshops. This coming March, a supply of various wheelchair components such as seat belts, trays and other items that are often scarce but needed in our clinics will be ready for use.

In the past, we have relied solely on equipment that was shipped to Peru from the United States. Our new approach provides employment at a fair wage for persons with disabilities and their families, and supports the Peruvian economy by sourcing the materials locally. The local fabrication of seating components is another step toward our dream and that of Yancana Huasy, to see wheelchair manufacturing become part of their enterprise.

Education

The First International Symposium on Seating and Posture occurred in August in Buenos Aires, Argentina and Eleanore’s Project was proud to sponsor a participant. Chris Ventura, occupational therapist at Yancana Huasy, attended the conference, which drew presenters from Europe and the United States. Attending this event gave Chris the opportunity to learn about wheelchair seating and mobility from a variety of sources beyond Eleanore’s Project. She has already begun integrating her new knowledge.

“The most important thing is that I will share what I learned with the entire team of professionals who work with me to improve the quality of life for our patients at Yancana Huasy.”

— Chris Ventura, occupational therapist

Breaking new ground

Finally, we are venturing into a new part of Peru for our second week of wheelchair clinics in March 2012. Puerto Maldonado is located in the jungle close to the Peruvian border with Brazil and Bolivia. A new highway now makes it possible to transport goods (such as wheelchairs) into this area more easily.

A local Lions Club and several professionals are eager to develop wheelchair services, and
sought out our partners Equip KIDS to request help. Equip KIDS representatives have already traveled there to assess needs, provide training and take measurements and photos of wheelchair recipients. While there, Eleanore’s Project will assist with a workshop for local professionals to develop their wheelchair provision skills. We are excited to be part of setting high standards for wheelchair provision in an area without any wheelchair mobility resources.

Julian and our Hope Haven friends with part of the load for Peru

It is the end of a long and productive day here in Sioux Falls. Julian and I selected the wheelchairs for our March expedition at Hope Haven International Ministries today, with the help of a great team. We even saw a number of them packed into boxes for the long trip to Peru in a shipping container!

All in all we have about 170 chairs and a few hundred pounds of assorted rehabilitation equipment. These will soon be joined by the 51 boxes from New Hampshire and by mid-January the whole load will be well on the way to its destination.

Left to right: Patty, Kathy and Sammie. Photo by Mary Jo. Sammie will be glad to have her living room back!

Our colleagues in Peru have sent evaluations with photos and measurements over the last month. And for many months, volunteers here in the United States have collected equipment to be sent for use in Peru. That collection effort culminated today in a full Saturday of packing at the home of Sammie Wakefield (longtime volunteer) in Moultonborough, New Hampshire.

Mary Jo Wagner (2010/2011 Peru team), her friend Kathy, and Patty McTigue (2010 Peru team) gathered there to pack 51 boxes of wheelchair seating components and specialty items! These materials will find new life with new owners in March 2012. Thank you Sammie, Mary Jo, Kathy and Patty! Your help is invaluable.

Each spring, Eleanore’s Project holds wheelchair clinics in two different locations in Peru. Since 2006, we have split our efforts between Yancana Huasy in Lima and Equip KIDS International in either Cusco or Arequipa. After 4 consecutive years of successful clinics in Arequipa, the area is becoming saturated with wheelchair programs in addition to Eleanore’s Project.

We’re committed to working in underserved areas, and the profusion of wheelchair providers in Arequipa led us to consider new clinic locations. Jorge and Sandra, Equip KIDS representatives in Peru, took it upon themselves to find new places in need of wheelchair services. After making a joint decision with them, today I can announce our new venture.

March 2012 will mark our first trip to Puerto Maldonado, Peru. This is an exciting step forward with our partners at Equip KIDS International because we’ll be laying the foundation for a wheelchair program in a region where no such resources currently exist. What does exist is a group of local government officials who have dedicated themselves to bringing more disability services to the area. We’ll support their efforts and share our occupational therapists’ expertise. We’re looking forward to setting a high standard for wheelchair provision in the the Puerto Maldonado region.

Puerto Maldonado is a city of about 90,000 people in the Amazon basin near the borders of Bolivia and Brazil. Located at the confluence of the Madre de Dios and Rio Tambopata rivers, it is one of the most far-flung outposts in Peru. Recently, construction of the new Trans-Oceanic Highway was completed. This new road will make transporting goods from Lima and coastal cities much faster and cheaper. Eleanore’s Project wheelchairs will reach Puerto Maldonado by this new highway.

Some facts about Puerto Maldonado:

• Founded in 1902 as part of a governmental expedition to explore the Peruvian rainforest
• Center of government for the Madre de Dios Department
• Average annual temperature is 79 degrees Fahrenheit
• The rainy season lasts from October to April (so we’ll be sure to have rain gear packed along!)
• Main industries include logging, eco-tourism and Brazil nut collecting

Come back for more updates as our 2012 expedition to Peru takes shape and we plan our first trip to the jungle.

Today we have meetings – not exciting in the same way as the wheelchair clinics, but every bit as essential to our long term goals in Peru. On Saturday morning we met with Jorge Paricoto of Equip KIDS for de-briefing after our joint efforts in Arequipa. Today we will do the same with our colleagues at Yancana Huasy and there is an exciting twist as we plan the beginning of a manufacturing program for wheelchair postural supports. We hope that next year all the extra seat belts, anterior chest supports, abductors (knee separators), wheelchair trays and foot straps that we need will be made for us here in Lima and we will not be shipping them from the United States. Stay tuned for news about this development that will offer work opportunities for individuals with disabilities and parents of kids who have received wheelchairs! We will begin our day at Yancana Huasy in a few minutes when Rufino picks us up with a bundle and two big suitcases filled with materials and tools that will be left here for next years work, the manufacturing project, and for use in the Yancana Huasy program over the next year.

At 3 PM we will meet with Dr. Roberto Tarazona, medical director at Caritas del Peru, our consignee and partner in bringing wheelchairs into Peru duty free. After completing our de-briefing with him, we will proceed to the airport to await our flights home. With any luck we will be able to access the internet there and report on our day as we await our flights.