Team Uganda: Clinic Day 2

Update from the PT team! Our team of 4 PT students, 1 PT faculty, and 1 PhD student has been working on funding and planning a wheelchair seating clinic for the past year.

Over the past two days, we were able to fit six individuals with wheelchairs that were adapted to fit each of their unique needs. These wheelchairs were specially built for terrain in developing countries and are more durable than what we typically see in the US. The stories of each of the individuals differed. Some had been living with the aftermath of childhood polio, resulting in legs that haven’t functioned in over 30 years.

Others cases included stroke, children with spinal cord injuries, and congenital disorders. One thing they all had in common was the pure joy they exuded when they sat in the chair and realized how drastically different their lives would be. Freedom from constantly relying on others for any tasks that require moving. Freedom from crawling throughout their homes. For one of the children, this chair even meant hope in the possibility of one day returning to school.

This child is 12 years old, and was involved in a motorcycle accident in March which resulted in a spinal cord injury at T1-2. This accident left him unable to walk, and his family was running out of options for a wheelchair. They heard about our wheelchair clinic and were able to attend today and receive a customized wheelchair that allowed him to independently move around. This patient and his family left our clinic with new hope of being able to return to school and normal activities independently.

The past two days have been so much more than bringing wheelchairs to Uganda. We were able to teach families about pressure sore prevention, safe transfers and wheelchair maintenance. We also got the opportunity to work alongside MKMC staff and two local high school students, with hopes that one day this project will be something that they can incorporate into the model they’ve built for sustainable healthcare. We are looking forward to joining the rest of the group tomorrow for clinic outreach at a new site!

+ Taylor Stoll, Physical Therapy Student, South Carolina
+ Holly Knapp, Physical Therapy Student, South Carolina