On Oct. 30 in the Hoover center, Elizabethtown College students had the opportunity to engage in discussion with Jess Krueger, a senior studying occupational therapy, and Marinus Koning MD, FACS, who is the founder of ReachAnother Foundation. ReachAnother Foundation serves children who suffer from hydrocephalus, a condition by which excess fluid in the brain causes pressure to the skull. The major identifying feature of the condition is the way it distends the forehead. The organization not only works to predict and prevent the issue, but it also arranges and funds surgery for affected children. As a specialist in trauma surgeries, Koning performs remedial surgery in Ethiopia’s MCM Hospital along with others whom he recruited for the program. Krueger shared her experience of volunteering with Koning in Ethiopia through photographs and she also discussed how she incorporated her major into the program.
Krueger explained that there is a need for occupational therapy in the program, especially for those children with developmental disabilities and autism. She assisted such children by helping them with walking and deep-pressure stimulation. While in Ethiopia, Krueger began her independent research thesis in addition to helping children communicate through what she called a “motivation system,” in which children would be rewarded when they showed an effort to communicate.
Koning began the presentation with some basic information about the program and Ethiopia. His slide showed geographical images, which both illustrated Ethiopia’s landlocked situation and labelled its bordering countries, such as Somalia. Once the audience was able to visualize Ethiopia’s geography, Koning mentioned more about the country’s society; noting that most Ethiopians practice Orthodox Christianity.
Another image on the projector was that of a small village, complete with very basic straw-roofed huts and a few cows. According to Koning, within the last 20 years, there has been a “tremendous improvement in the living conditions of the world.” While indicating that people in the Ethiopian capital city, Addis Ababa, are less destitute than one might imagine, Koning said that the areas closer to bordering nations are “where people live exactly the same as 2,000 years ago.” Therefore, many children with hydrocephalus in such areas never make it to the few hospitals that will accept them.
One of the few hopes for these children is ReachAnother, whose volunteers arrange hospital visits and surgeries for children with hydrocephalus. “We can do [the surgeries of] twelve babies every week,” Koning said. However, he has to work through the corrupt medical system. The Ethiopian government doesn’t value the surgeries for children with that condition, especially since they do not understand the procedure. Further, Koning said that the government would not want to spend money on patients whose cases are often fatal. Koning is determined to fight for their rights in the hospital, which is a very difficult undertaking, especially because there are only a few pediatric surgery beds in hospitals, even those in the urban facilities.
When asked how “broke” students might help ReachAnother, Koning strongly encouraged the audience to participate even without funds. “Friend us on Facebook, talk to your friends; spread the word!” he said.