Wheelchair Training Course by Latter-day Saint Charities

Going to Kota Bahru for the first time was special. To top it all, being there to participate in a wheelchair training course and to meet up, also for the first time with fellow Rotarians at Rotary Club Kota Bahru made up many swell moments.

25 participants attended the workshop; the majority came from Kota Bahru. My friend, Pearl and I flew in from Kuala Lumpur.Our dedicated instructors, led by physical therapist, Kim Brown of  Latter-day Saint Charities, all the way from Salt Lake City, Utah, USA did an excellent job imparting his expertise. The entire workshop was dutifully translated into Bahasa Malaysia by Suki, our Malaysian physiotherapist and Yana.

We learned the A,B,Cs of  wheelchairs - descriptions of the the different components  and how to guide first -time users. There were wheelchairs - standard and rough rider to give away and a major part of the course detailed assessing the potential user to give a wheelchair. Upon being credited as suitable, the user or caregiver is taught how to ride, open doors, go up and down steps assisted, safety tips etc.

A wheelchair is a tool and a machine.It is gratifying to know that with giving  a wheelchair away, lives are changed. Mobility is enhanced, coping better with physical impediments, providing invaluable aid to caregivers, enabling greater self-esteem are some outcomes. All the more so, being well -trained to have more in-depth knowledge about wheelchairs and end -users is of utmost importance.

The day of reckoning came when the instructors stepped back for the students to apply their newly -acquired expertise. 30 odd locals came in anticipation with their families/caregivers to be assessed.

Needless to say, it was a memorable goodbye to each and every new recipient of the wheelchairs. To be able to ride home in comfort and tackle each day, through thick and thin. As for the students who proudly wore the tees with a new designation of Wheelchair Specialist, it was not only worthwhile time spent but humbling to be part of the great teaching and interaction of Latter-day Saint Charities' humanitarian outreach.

Gaye Brown  showing the parts of a wheelchair and recognizing their functions.

Chart shows the ideal posture of 90/90/90 degrees.

Gaye Brown showing how to safely  transfer  a wheelchair user .

Participant practising the correct way to measure  for the suitable size for the wheelchair user.

Kim Brown, physical therapist emphasizing  the importance of  correct measurement for a correct size of wheelchair  for the user. 4 Teams measured 4 persons - some  results showed variations.

Participant learning  the slide test to ensure the wheelchair is a good fit for the user.

Wheelchair cushion  being cut to fit the size of the wheelchairs which come in 12, 14, 16, 18 and 20 inches

Out with the wrenches which were given to every participant  to assemble the wheelchairs.

Assembling a rough rider - team work at its best.

One of the potential recipients for a wheelchair wheeled in for assessing.

History taking , noting any  'red flags' .

A happy participant of the 3 day course.

Proud to be a student of Kim Brown ( rt) and Robert Howell  (LDS Humanitarian Director) of Latter-day Saint Charities

It's a happy, satisfying  culmination of a 3 day course -  participants with their instructors. 

SSMH Charity Bazaar - 'Do Good To Feel Good'

SSMH's Charity Carnival 2012 tagline ' Do Good To Feel Good ' at the recent  bazaar on 7 and 8 July reached out to many in their fund raising event at  BSC ( Bangsar Shopping Complex).

 With my hubby and daughter, we enjoyed the rousing launch of the bazaar. There was an amazing display by the Malaysian YoYo Club members with their tricks and manoeuvres. Local singing celebrities, Amirah Ali and Sheila Majid did their bit to heighten the festive mood. The 'supreme' moment dawned when Darth Vader and the Imperial Guards strode on stage with President Fadillah Yakin and with a clean cut of the lightsaber blade of the red ribbon, the event was declared open. The Star Wars characters of the 501st Legion Malaysia Outpost was a hit among the  patrons of the shopping complex.

There was something or other for well wishers to buy to support the cause - be it pearls, accessories, clothes, tupperware, cakes and snacks. The  many stalls offered a variety of stuff for the two day event.

Do visit  SSMH ( Society for the Severely Mentally Handicapped) website to find out more about this wonderful voluntary welfare organisation  that helps families to cope with  their special kids and give kids a better life despite their disabilities. All monies raised  go towards  the training and care of the severely mentally handicapped children.

http://www.ssmh.org.my/

 Let the lightsaber do its work!

With Leela, a great supporter of SSMH

All for a good cause - donation box passed around as Sheila Majid sang.

StormTroopers in action  too

More than happy to sing and add to the coffers of SSMH

Curry puffs were a hot item

Stalls offered a variety of goods to add to the festivity of the bazzar.

Aprons go a - walking

Some of The Sunshine ladies  ready to pitch their salesmanship! All for a good cause.

Really it was a good loud  burst of laughter  that started my morning with the my team mates for the charity event at the Bukit Damansara  Walk -a - Fun.

Grace, all chirpy on a Sunday morning says, 'You want me to wear your apron, now you wear my hat!'. From behind her back she produced a chef's hat and plonked it on my head. ' From Hilton Hotel,' she declares. 'Me??' 'Yes, you!'

Okay, no ifs and buts. I willingly kept it on. The money - savvy me says, "Hey this is a great promo for the  tea towels we want to sell this morning.'  My friends were there to lend a hand to sell the lovely tea towels that we've worked on as a fund raiser for the residents of Sel Cheshire Home.it was  also heart warming  to see  a few participants donning the aprons  right away after having purchased them. Thanks guys!

My team - Sis-in law, and Grace and Carlos from Argentina.

Thank you for wearing and supporting our aprons

My team comprised  Grace and her very sporting  hubby, Carlos from Argentina and my sister- in- law. The morning was cool after an early light shower. All signs pointed to a great walk with the people from Bukit Damansara and beyond  streaming in. Families, friends, cousins, office  mates - all different combinations  each made up a minimum team of 2 and maximum  4 to do the walk.

We were flagged off by the DPM.  Such a rush of adrenaline  to be part of the 'herd'. Excitement was in the air. Just by the mosque we had to solve the first clue marked by a big  ?. The answers were all within a range of 20 metres. So that's what this Walk -a - Fun means - the fun is to look for clues, get them all correct  and within the best time. Hopes were high for the truly great prizes of desirables like  a 42 inch LCD TV. Not only one but 3! Wow! such wonderful prizes waiting to land into some hands - if only the mind and the body can synchronize. Now who will win?  Aiyah, not us! To tell you the truth, I gave a wrong answer.That's for misreading the question! Sorry folks.

Just up another road  incline, as we pushed on, I caught sight of some familiar faces. They sure liked my attire.'What's cooking, Keats?' Amin asked. ' Just cooking  up a sweat!' Sorry, nothing to sell.' More laughs  and we continued  with increased  leg  power towards the finishing post.

We did well . The tea towels got  good response and there were orders for the aprons. Now the volunteers will have to get  busy with their spare time. We surely can't wait to tell the good news to the artists at the Home. For it is their work that we had proudly worn. And it all started with the batik sessions we had at the Home. We helped our friends turn their hibiscus motif  into a practical household  product. You should have seen the happiness in their faces when they saw their work and their names printed materialize into something they didn't dream of. Well, my friends, for starters, these tea towels and aprons are flying to the Netherlands. That's one country I know where they are going as personal gifts:)

Thank you Bukit Damansara Residents' Assoc. You did Great! Thanks for the booth to sell our tea towels.

All our tea towels rolled into neat bundles  making brisk sales that morning.

Some of the 550+ eager participants

Thirst no more for creativity!  

I walked it my way! Of course following the route .  Waiting to get to the marshals to validate time etc

Still smiling after the 4 km walk. 

Super prizes donated by sponsors. How's  that ? 3 units of 42 inch LCD TVs to give away , fridges, ipad etc.

Happy to finish the race . Hubby  was the chief judge.

Spot the celeb! She sponsored a big set of her CDs.

President of The Bukit Damansara  Residents' Assoc, Tan Sri Aziz  thanking all participants - a fun way to enhance  the muhibbah spirit

Winners all

Abilympics

 I heard about the National Abilympics Art competition from one of the committee members of the MCR ( Malaysian Council for Rehabilitation) and being an ardent  gardening enthusiast, the theme  Flowers and Passion  was  an extra draw to witness it. MCR has 21 affiliated members - organisations  representing  different kinds of disabilities eg. autism, deaf,  In 1981 the Abilympics was founded in Tokyo to coincide with the International Year of the Disabled Persons under  the UN to bring into focus  the awareness of the disabled in  society and the need to integrate them side by side with the general population.

The competition was already underway when I arrived at the National Art Gallery. Individuals from different organisations  were at work, most of them engrossed in their drawings.  I casually strolled by not wanting to distract them. All sorts of colours of the palette were there - some muted and soft, others were bold and vibrant. Behind the on -going activity, I could sense the spirit of these artists in their art. It is what they know best and it is their outlet for expression .

Among the artists were a couple of  the foot and mouth artists. I doubt anyone just walks by without stopping to admire their sheer dexterity to etch and paint . It is a labour of love and patience.

Painstaking work

Finished work by  one of the foot and mouth artists

Deft strokes

This event  opens  a visitor's eyes to a new world of  many untapped talents. It is about empowering  the  skills of this disadvantaged sector of society and creating opportunities for them  and enhancing their self esteem. Whatever their disabilities, watching them, it's timely to take the 'dis' out of 'disability'.  These individuals win hearts and souls with their innermost expressions through art.

The  overall winner  gets to  represent Malaysia  in Seoul in September where  an international group will compete there. But surely there are no losers in this competition. There  never was even before the start of this competition though judging has to take place. I couldn't stay  till the results were announced. But being witness to art which speaks from their hearts, it touches anyone.

Flowers and Passion  theme brings to mind a quote I love by Lady Bird Johnson : 'Where flowers bloom, so does  hope'.  Indeed there is much to hope for. This event focuses on ability and human dignity. Perhaps some will be self-sufficient. We can all help in little ways or more.

My vibrant world

Colourful and lively

A happy day for the dragon fly

Flowers  flourish in my garden, my world

A study in still life

Art it is!  

Flowers to serenade you?

Strong lines , bold capture

Hibiscuses  galore

Interesting  compostion  in progress

In muted tones

Artists with Autism

Of late we have bought ourselves 3 paintings. One was at a recent Henry Butcher's Auction, a work by Malaysian artist, Tan Choon Ghee. The other 2 were when my husband and I stepped inside the Have A Heart booth at the preview of the Art Expo Malaysia 2010 at the MATRADE EXHIBITION & CONVENTION CENTRE.

Have A Heart is a parents' support group which provides a space for special needs artists to create artworks such as paintings, sculptures, photography and prints. We were greeted by Pn Wairah Marzuki who gave us a brief insight into the work of autistic children. This was the 4th time the organisation participated in this huge event. It certainly is invaluable exposure to networking with national, regional and international artists.

We bought the Red Rooster and the Green Parrot by Sea Ng Jun Xi who is known as SEAN. My daughter calls it the Spanish Rooster ! I like the cheery, confident stride of the rooster. Now as we have breakfast in the kitchen, no one can be moody !! The rooster will gently remind us to perk up and smile for it is sunny world. 'Look on the birght side! ' he crows!

The volunteer who delivered the paintings after the Expo told me that Sean is 13 and is struggling to talk just like his sister, Tynia who is also an autistic artist. Sean has a passion for all kinds of birds and he enjoys his painting lessons more if he paints birds. Besides drum lessons, he enjoys the therapeutic healing of clay as he indulges in pottery.

Red Rooster by Sea Ng Jun Xi

Green Parrot by Sea Ng Jun Xi

Incidentally, I bought a print titled Ethnic 1 by artist Tan Seng Kit . I feel Seng Kit 's painting has the vibrancy of the 1Malaysia we want for ourselves. Though it is just a print I decided to buy it when I saw his prints at a booth his mum was manning at Klpac a year or so ago. Seng Kit was diagnosed with autism at the age of 6. He is on a home school programme and has a flair as an artist and a bowler. His print now hangs in my ' creative junk room'. This is not to say I do not care for it anymore. In fact it is in this room that I create crafts and whatever ideas for my storytelling sessions. In truth it has a special place in my heart.

Autism as we know is a brain disorder that impedes communication, learning and social behaviour. According to the Ministry of Health, 1 in 600 children is diagnosed as autistic in Malaysia.

But see how these artists with autism communicate with us in their own way. Given the chance for more exposure I'm sure more good tidings will come their way. In the meantime, they work best at what they know best!

Tan Seng Kit -Ethnic 1

Sea Ng Jun Xi - Blue Peacock Acrylic on Canvas 78x 62 cm 2010

Birds are Sea Ng Jun Xi's favourites

Art by Nurul Akmal Ab Rahman

Art by Nurul Akmal Ab Rahman

Art by Nurul Akmal Ab Rahman

Tan Seng Kit - Pretty Blooms Acrylic on Canvas 72 X 103 cm 2010

Malaysia's iconic Twin Towers by Tan Seng Kit

Art by Tan Seng Kit

Art by Tan Seng Kit