This is a great article providing insight into health care in Tanzania, and the challenges facing the midwives at Amana hospital. It dates back to 2016, when Jan and Chase had just started their journey with Midwifevision.
To celebrate the wonderful work of our wonderful knitters
Jan will be hosting a delicious morning tea arranged with her favourite…Scones and Jam…with lashings of Cream!
We are planning a good old fashioned sing-along of some golden oldies at the piano.
We would love you to bring your knitting along, so we can all compare notes, get ideas and feedback.
– Bus pick ups from Rangiora and neighboring suburbs can be arranged –
Please complete the form below, if you would like to join us for the Morning Tea.
We are so proud of Dr. James Moir, a Board Member, who regularly donates his time and resources to support Midwife Vision both in Australia and Tanzania. Once more he is donating his time and effort for an important cause, also close to our hearts, the Cherish Women’s Cancer Foundation. You have our support and gratitude James
Congratulations to the 3 Amigos… the Team of 3 riders, including our very own Chase Becker and Mike Becker, who completed the Mongol Derby 2018 on Friday 17th of August.
The Mongol Derby is known as the longest and toughest horse race in the world, taking place in Mongolia, and extending over 1000kms. Riders from all around the world ride for their charity of choice, facing the challenges of the wilds of Mongolia.
Check out the interview of Chase Becker by Michelle White on ABC Radio.
http://www.abc.net.au/radio/programs/conversations/conversations-jan-becker/9056352
Jan Becker is well known in the business world for the enormously successful flight training academy she’s built with her husband.
Becker Helicopters trains more pilots each year than the Australian military.
Jan also has another life, as a midwife in Tanzania. A few times a year, she flies in to Amana Hospital, where more than 30,000 babies are born each year.
Because there’s no special care nursery for babies born with problems, some will not survive.
But Jan’s training in infant resuscitation is helping to save many tiny lives.
Jan was recently named USC’s Outstanding Alumnus for 2017
Duration: 51min 30sec
Broadcast: Mon 23 Oct 2017, 11:00am
Jan and Chase Becker are booked to head back to Tanzania on the 26th of June.
Returning to Dar As Salaam
The anticipation of return is both one of excitement and trepidation.
The care and giving of ourselves is a personal journey that is filled with raw emotions, elation, sorrow, a profound sense of there is still much to do.
And it feels like what we do is but one drop in the ocean.
But if we sit back and say the challenge is too big or too vast, does that give us an excuse to exonerate ourselves from a global and human responsibly to be part of touching another’s life? Instead I feel strongly that if each of us does one small thing it all adds up and collectively we make positive things happen.
When we get on a plane and fly 14 hours to Dubai, then another 7 hours to Dar Es Salaam, it’s to another world – but on the same planet.
I am constantly asked “why do you go?” for me it’s a kaleidoscope of reasons. For Chase they may be very different so she can tell you her thoughts in her news flash as well.
When I deliver a baby, or wipe a women’s face to cool her during labour, or resuscitate a baby, or simply reach out as I pass on my way to other women in labour (all labour in one room)…for those moments letting them know they are not invisible, we care, we see them and for that moment it is enough…
It’s enough for me to go – to connect to someone whose life and opportunity is so vastly different to mine.
It’s only because of the success of our business back home and the amazing team who manage things while I am gone that I have the privilege of being part of, for but a moment these women’s life’s.
But the unsung heroes on this story are the midwives who for 365 days a year manage 80-100 deliveries per day – with limited resources, that’s 36,000 babies a year.
Simple things like gloves, soap, clean rooms, cord clamps, medication, syringes, paper, and clean water – the list is too long and would look ridiculous if I recorded them all.
These midwives are an inspiration to me….. Could I stay for a year…? Would I lose faith in the world that seems to have forgotten them?
Each knitted beany that the wonderful women in NZ and Australia lovingly make and the baby cocoons, little baby resting angel bags for the wee ones who die – you fill me with hope and joy.
Each mother gets tears in her eyes and is overjoyed seeing the little beanies placed on their babies’ heads.
Joining us (Chase & I) again is Dr James Moir (OB|GYN) and the fabulous midwife Brigid.
More news soon.
Signing off
Jan
Working on Currently for Donations for Amana Hospital
New maternity Theatre Operating lights- due to the unstable power supplies the globes keep blowing up and replacement cannot be found because of old technology. We are working with Dr Brenda and Amana Hospital to get floor LED OT lamps that can be used and hopefully more robust to electrical fluctuations – Becker Helicopters is donating these items
New Ultrasound machines- submitting a proposal to try and get funding through South Australia for $6000 each Ultrasound hand held for the Antenatal Unit, Labour Ward and pre-admission to labour ward.
Donations delivered
Baby cots delivered this week from midwife vision – we got ten new cots and they are replacing the old one where the wee babies could fall out!
HI Team I am so tired it’s actually hard to articulate the days here. So I thought I’d do it with images
How a day usually starts…
Leave for hospital and arrive after a long “interesting” trip thru insane traffic to arrive at the hospital @ 0800 am.
Go to labour ward – upon arrival we find 4 deliveries taking place. One of the twins – cord prolapse – this wee baby dies (a wee boy) then the midwife go on break and I am standing in labour ward with 5 other labouring mothers and am standing at the delivery for the breech – second twin baby. Then a wee foot appears – footling breech – after debate with a midwife I asked for Dr. James.
Dr James arrives and carries out the delivery of the Footling breech (feet first) with a nuchal arm (arm behind its head and back). The baby is resuscitated and doing well.
Great outcome | first delivery of mine that day (right) – she was a real little cutie pie – I went on and delivered 5 more babies | other 4 midwifes delivered the other 17 for that shift alone. Three perineal repairs and all went well. It’s hot and humid here and scrubs are saturated at end of the day from sweat. And when involved in a resus you have the heater above you as well!
Then another set of twins are being delivered both head first (cephalic) delivered beautifully – and good sizes 2.9 and 3.2 kg’s and term. I delivered the second twin – it took about 45 minutes for the second twin to arrive and FHR were good throughout.
Dr James has already been in the Operating Theatre (OT) earlier that day for other emergency Caesarean’s – all emergencies are in the main OR – The Obstetrics theatre is not operational because the light has blown! Working on getting a new one.
During the spinal anaesthetic being put in another doctor pokes his head into the door and says quicker Dr James we have PPH waiting for surgery (post LUSC) & an ectopic & a cord prolapse. No pressure James …..
James completed the (Caesarean) LUSC from first cut to completed in 38 minutes – baby outcome was good.
At about 2.30 pm Dr James gets called to Theatre for another Caesarean and I go to catch the baby and Chase comes with me. Edna the Tanzanian midwife takes us through all the process – you get to wear a set of OT cloths that everyone has been wearing all week (nice) – But only in OT so “considered” clean. You change into some boots and if lucky you get a set that actually is a pair or there are plastic slippers! Now later you’ll see that slippers are preferable for comfort but not for hygiene …..there is no drapes or fluid catchments pouches and the poor little suction pump is wheezing its way through basic fluids ….
Chase at her station weighting babies | Post resus care | and labelling etc.
It’s hot here under the heater. 20-30 deliveries per shift or 80-100 per day. Chase also did her first perineal repair; 1st degree, under supervision of Dr James Moir.
Chase also now gives all the oxytocin injections at delivery for the AMTSL (active management of Third stage) it contracts the uterus to stop the mothers from bleeding after birth. So she is now proficient in her IMI injections.
At almost the end of the operation I turn around and the surgeon (James) has stepped away from the patient – James had on boots too small of him and after 3 lots of surgery his toes were in agony – so the scout nurse gave up her slippers – so I turn around to see James happy in his slippers – Nice look!
How’s that look going Dr James!
Ambulance could do with some wheels
Doctor’s lounge is under a tree! Kid you not.
And that was Tuesday! …how was your day?
The mothers love the fuzzy little hats – thanks to Claire and her team in Motueka and my mum.
The ladies in NZ at Rangiora knitting, the Salvos, and so many others who I am ashamed to say I don’t know all your names – your generosity and gorgeous gear you knit and infuse with stiches of love is truly humbling and the mothers are just delighted to have the wee ones dressed so well and in such gorgeous wee outfits – you have all knitted such beautiful gear – its impossible to photograph them all as we are so immensely busy with deliveries.
Chase at her station weighting babies | Post resus care | and labelling etc. It’s hot here under the heater. 20-30 deliveries per shift or 80-100 per day.
This little guy was so covered in meconium that we decided to dress him green ! he was embarrased by the photo – he had a rough delivery but did well. Tiny wee thing he was but looked so adorable in his little outfit. Because of his green-tinged skin and his little green suit, Chase nicknamed him, “The Hulk.”
A little angel unknown I, am, my place is as an angel in a secret land I didn’t have a name as such; you didn’t get the chance,
I wasn’t meant to live on earth just touch you by the hand,
I’ve been sent to touch your lives and I know you’ll think that cruel, but its only special people that are chosen exceptions to the rules.
I knew you would love me from the very start, from that first sighting & beating of my tiny heart, so I know that it will hurt you that you have to say goodbye, but I am your guardian angel now and I’ll dry the tears from your eyes.
I’ll be there by your side wherever you now go, I will hear you speak of me often & what I might have been if I’d grown,
I’ll be the special angel in the picture that you have, I’ll remind you of my brother & my dad, I’ll have your little features all of you as one &
I’ll love you always as my special mum.
You might not have got to see me as a living breathing thing, but I’ll be the ribbon around your heart and my love will be deep within, this pleasure I promise will be mine, to be your guardian angel from now until the end of time.
I’ll gift you with my presence every night within your dreams, walk always as your special unknown angel gifted to you within just for a short while, so think of me often and smile, For I, am your very own special unknown gifted child.
We acknowledge and thank Ronnie Hunter for the poem entitled, “Little Angel Unknown.”
Source: http://www.familyfriendpoems.com/poem/little-angel-unknown#ixzz35wvIlBt3
