…actually, scratch the “better”…I’m just happy about the living part. We exist in amazing times, and for that I am constantly grateful and humbled. Why am I blathering all new-agey? I’m just pondering the healing powers of the Internet, that’s all.
Few thought this little boy would survive after he was bitten by a snake in Nepal.
His parents consulted a Shaman who bound the boy’s leg so tightly with a tourniquet it went gangrenous.
When doctors eventually saw him they were at a loss to know how to save him. The bandage had been on for 25 days and his leg was hanging off.
Everyone was resigned to him dying.
Everyone except Lord and Lady Swinfen. The peer and his wife run a phenomenal charity that “virtually” saved the child’s life.
…Some of world’s top surgeons were consulted and gave their advice that his leg should be amputated as quickly as possible to save his life. Against the odds he survived and he is now waiting to have an artificial leg fitted.
From the front room of their home near Canterbury, Lord and Lady Swinfen mastermind an e-mail system that puts hospitals in the developing world in touch with the best surgeons in their field.
The Swinfen Charitable Trust (SCT) assists doctors in the developing world, for free, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Lord and Lady Swinfen even run it from their laptop, whenever they holiday.
…The system, set up with the expert help of the University of Queensland staff, was based on a system used to link British forces hospitals to specialists.
…Now SCT operates in 18 countries including East Timor, Sri Lanka and Afghanistan and offer specialists in a range of fields including dentistry, paediatrics, obstetrics and gynaecology and plastic surgery from 10 countries…
I love this part:
Although the Swinfens are sent much information about their patients – sometimes even their pictures – they do not know their identity, nor do the international surgeons, thus ensuring that whatever their political beliefs all patients get the same standards of care.
The simple system works elegantly:
…Mr Wood said sometimes the surgeons just sent written requests for help, but other times they e-mailed x-rays and pictures so he can build up the fullest possible picture.
The Swinfens forward the request to him and, once he has examined the details, he just presses the reply button and his diagnosis and advice are pinged automatically to the hospital and surgeon concerned.
Hit “reply”, save a life. Brilliant.
via the Beeb
Those laser beams shooting from his eyes are also really cool. Where can I get me some of those?
Welcome to the exciting world of telemedicine.
Pretty cool stuff. It’s being tried in some remote places, as well as being explored as an avenue to cut medical costs, and improve treatment (i.e. if someone doesn’t have to travel to get medical care, they may heal faster, etc.)
-D
soooo wrong, ennis 😉
The young boy was bitten by a radio active snake. While he narrowly survived, with just the loss of his leg, he gained the ability to shoot laser beams from his eyes and quickly became the next King of Nepal. His lifestory was made into a movie several times, each one entitled, “If looks could kill”
good story