Previous Teams
We aim to send two teams annually to Nepal to support our rehab initiatives. Below you will find the teams who have recently traveled to Nepal and a brief summary of their experiences.
Clinical Collaborations and Lifelong Memories - The Team 22 Visit to Nepal
By Dr. Ainsley Kempenaar, with Dr. Alexandra Rendely
The more you give, the more you get.
Our most recent team, Team 22, echoed this sentiment upon their return from Nepal in November 2019.
By promoting neuro-rehabilitation, providing sustainable education and collaborating with our Nepali healthcare partners, Team 22 gave their knowledge, but received life experiences, new friendships and lasting memories in return.
The enthusiastic interdisciplinary group comprised of Jamie Young, neuro-rehab physiotherapist, Edith Ng, occupational therapist, Michelle Esau, registered nurse, Dr. Nora Cullen, brain injury physiatrist, and Dr. Ainsley Kempenaar, senior physiatry resident.
After 3 months of planning and conducting needs assessments, Team 22 arrived in Tansen, Nepal, to work alongside our Nepali partners at United Mission Hospital (UMH). The varied skills, backgrounds and training of our diverse group of team members allowed for a wide range of didactic sessions, hands on teaching opportunities and case rounds. The topics were mainly driven by the pre-trip discussions but on-the-fly requests ensured admitted patient’s needs were being met. The group presented 6 classroom session ranging from neurological and spinal cord injury rehab for therapists, secondary stroke prevention for physicians, to bowel, bladder and wound care management for nursing students. With something for everyone, a true multidisciplinary learning experience was created!
Outside the lecture hall, bedside teaching created hands on experiences. Physical and occupational therapists were provided with patient training sessions. With the assistance of our team, the Nepali allied health providers delivered their first interdisciplinary sexual health counselling session for a patient with a spinal cord injury. This was a true team effort brought together by a physiotherapist, social worker and occupational therapist. With Team 22’s guidance, these conversations can now take place with future patients with spinal cord injuries– an important milestone!
Family is always the key piece in rehabilitation and recovery. This was witnessed firsthand when our team taught a patient and his family members how to properly fit and use a Roho wheelchair seat cushion, to prevent pressure injuries. The family will be integral to ensuring optimal usage over the coming years.
If you see us walking through the airport with two bags, it’s so we can bring equipment to our Nepali patients. Roho cushion donations are highly valued, so please send any extras our way. Thanks to prior generous supporters, the Roho cushion we left with this patient was donated on behalf of NepalAbility. (consider adding a donate here link)
After a whirl-wind week, the clinical time came to an end at UMH, but the collaboration did not stop. Team 22 boarded a flight to Pokhara, to provide administrative support and strategic planning to Green Pastures Hospital (GPH). At GPH, Team 22 was met by our long time colleagues Josh and Sarah. Josh, a family physician with a passion for rehab and Sarah, a speech language pathologist from the United States have been collaborating with NepalAbility since they arrived in Nepal more than 5 years ago. Josh and Sarah outlined future GPH building developments and their vision of what excellent rehab care will look like at GPH moving forward. Our group provided invaluable feedback and the discussion sparked some excellent developments that we look forward to seeing on future trips!
While our Spring 2020 Team was unable to land in Nepal due to the current pandemic, we can’t wait to see the Himalayas when we can visit in person again soon!
Take a look below for photo highlights of Team 22's trip
The more you give, the more you get.
Our most recent team, Team 22, echoed this sentiment upon their return from Nepal in November 2019.
By promoting neuro-rehabilitation, providing sustainable education and collaborating with our Nepali healthcare partners, Team 22 gave their knowledge, but received life experiences, new friendships and lasting memories in return.
The enthusiastic interdisciplinary group comprised of Jamie Young, neuro-rehab physiotherapist, Edith Ng, occupational therapist, Michelle Esau, registered nurse, Dr. Nora Cullen, brain injury physiatrist, and Dr. Ainsley Kempenaar, senior physiatry resident.
After 3 months of planning and conducting needs assessments, Team 22 arrived in Tansen, Nepal, to work alongside our Nepali partners at United Mission Hospital (UMH). The varied skills, backgrounds and training of our diverse group of team members allowed for a wide range of didactic sessions, hands on teaching opportunities and case rounds. The topics were mainly driven by the pre-trip discussions but on-the-fly requests ensured admitted patient’s needs were being met. The group presented 6 classroom session ranging from neurological and spinal cord injury rehab for therapists, secondary stroke prevention for physicians, to bowel, bladder and wound care management for nursing students. With something for everyone, a true multidisciplinary learning experience was created!
Outside the lecture hall, bedside teaching created hands on experiences. Physical and occupational therapists were provided with patient training sessions. With the assistance of our team, the Nepali allied health providers delivered their first interdisciplinary sexual health counselling session for a patient with a spinal cord injury. This was a true team effort brought together by a physiotherapist, social worker and occupational therapist. With Team 22’s guidance, these conversations can now take place with future patients with spinal cord injuries– an important milestone!
Family is always the key piece in rehabilitation and recovery. This was witnessed firsthand when our team taught a patient and his family members how to properly fit and use a Roho wheelchair seat cushion, to prevent pressure injuries. The family will be integral to ensuring optimal usage over the coming years.
If you see us walking through the airport with two bags, it’s so we can bring equipment to our Nepali patients. Roho cushion donations are highly valued, so please send any extras our way. Thanks to prior generous supporters, the Roho cushion we left with this patient was donated on behalf of NepalAbility. (consider adding a donate here link)
After a whirl-wind week, the clinical time came to an end at UMH, but the collaboration did not stop. Team 22 boarded a flight to Pokhara, to provide administrative support and strategic planning to Green Pastures Hospital (GPH). At GPH, Team 22 was met by our long time colleagues Josh and Sarah. Josh, a family physician with a passion for rehab and Sarah, a speech language pathologist from the United States have been collaborating with NepalAbility since they arrived in Nepal more than 5 years ago. Josh and Sarah outlined future GPH building developments and their vision of what excellent rehab care will look like at GPH moving forward. Our group provided invaluable feedback and the discussion sparked some excellent developments that we look forward to seeing on future trips!
While our Spring 2020 Team was unable to land in Nepal due to the current pandemic, we can’t wait to see the Himalayas when we can visit in person again soon!
Take a look below for photo highlights of Team 22's trip
2018 Fall were team 21 - Katie, Carol, Kaci, Bob, Lara, Lucy
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Team 21 focused primarily on supporting neurorehab at United Mission Hospital, Tansen. Some of the team also visited Green Pastures Hospital and Rehabilitation Centre and the Spinal Injury Rehab Centre for consultation and discussions of future NepalAbility involvement.
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2018 Spring were team 20 - James, Peter, Jill, and Anita
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2017 Fall were team 19 - Dr. Nora Cullen, Ali Rendely, McKyla McIntyre, Pauline Orr, Carolina Bottari, and Natalie Bailey
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Summary of trip
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2017 Spring were team 18 - Shaun Grey, Rose Cimaloi, Mary Mark, Edith Ng
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Summary of trip
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2017 Fall were team 17 - Josh Riggsbee, Sarah Riggsbee and Carol Scovil
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Team 17 spent a week in Tansen, supporting the neuro-rehabilitation program that was started through NepalAbility. This program now includes a 4-bed rehabilitation inpatient unit, so patients with stroke, brain injury and spinal cord injury can receive extended rehab treatment. We will work alongside our Nepali colleagues to continue to support the program, and will be involved in home visits to discharged patients, and a day to fit and dispense donated wheelchairs.
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