In May 2019, two physiotherapists (Peta and Jess) will be travelling to Burma (Myanmar) to offer their skills and knowledge to the Karen people, an ethnic group living in South-East Asia. There are about 7 million Karen people living in Burma and about 140,000 living in Thai refugee camps.  

Burma has been rife with civil war for several decades. Since 2013 there has been ceasefire negotiations between the Burmese government and several Karen armed groups, though some fighting continues. The Karen State now has a landmine problem matched only by Afghanistan.

As a result of past and ongoing tragedy in Burma, there is a large population of amputees within the Karen state. There is also a lot of poorly managed birth defects and neurological conditions, such as cerebral palsy or spinal cord injuries. There is very little in the way of medical aid provided to this population and we are hoping to make them our focus during the visit. For this reason, some physiotherapy input has the potential to make a significant positive impact for the Burmese community.

To make the most of our visit to Burma, we will require an array of supplies including amputee specific items, such as stump stockings and bandages, other physiotherapy tools such as resistance bands, as well as more general items.

A donation of any size will be greatly appreciated and put to good use!