As many of you know, I moved to Luang Prabang, Laos at the end of September to volunteer as a paediatric nurse at the Lao Friends Hospital for Children (LFHC) for 6 months.
LFHC is a very special place – it is the only paediatric hospital in Northern Laos but more importantly, the only free children’s hospital in the entire country. The hospital consists of an Emergency Department, an Inpatient Ward, a Neonatal Unit and an Outpatient Department and it treats about 20,000 children and young people a year. Without LFCH, many children here would go without life-saving medication, treatment and care for conditions such as malaria, pneumonia and malnutrition.
However, LFCH relies entirely on charitable donations and for this reason has organised the Luang Prabang Half Marathon on the 21st October 2018 – where ALL proceeds will go to the hospital and for the treatment of these children.
As many of you are aware, I regularly pretend to be a runner but often fail epically with training for these events. This one is no different! I’m slightly dreading the heat during the 21kms as I haven’t quite acclimatised yet, but it kicks off in darkness at 04:30, which will make the experience, a little more bearable.
I usually don’t fundraise for runs but LFHC is quite a unique place that has warmly welcomed me in the past couple of weeks. Working in the hospital is hot, chaotic and tough but will home for the 6 months. Every dollar raised will make a huge difference to the care we can provide to these children and their families....and ultimately save many lives!
Thank you all so very much x
