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4- The Oakville Beaver, Friday February 8, 2008 www.oakvillebeaver.com Making a difference Continued from page 2 InSchoolwear Oakville's #1 School Uniform Store save 20% off ALL in-stock items Trafalgar Rd. Saturday Feb. 9th-16th www.InSchoolwear.com QEW S. Service Rd. Chartwell Cornwall Unit #101, 482 South Service Road E., Oakville, Between Trafalgar & Chartwell Ontario, 905-338-3030 home to hundreds of bats, which take flight whenever anyone enters and whose droppings litter the floor. "The thing is this could be easily fixed," said Brobbel. "If there was a lumberyard close by, you would get some plywood and nail it to the rafters and that would keep the bats out, but there isn't a lumberyard. It would have to be flown in." The hospital also has no running water, no electricity, no operating room and no XRay machine. "The hospital has about eight beds and there were about a dozen patients while I was there," said Brobbel. "Those without beds have to either lie on the floor or wait outside." Brobbel showed a picture of one man he said was suffering from epilepsy who was lying on the ground outside the hospital. Fortunately, some of the medication Brobbel brought in from Nairobi was able to help him, if only temporarily. Despite all the hardships he has to face because of the limited resources he has to deal with, Brobbel said Tut Pur has no intention of leaving any time soon. "He was really happy with all the medical supplies we brought him," said Brobbel. "He really needed them." While malaria and river blindness are common ailments seen by Tut Pur at the hospital, not all of his patients come to him suffering from viruses. Violence remains a problem in Akobo with some individuals thinking little of killing another human being to steal livestock. Brobbel saw the victims of one such raid during his visit. "While I was there, there were two people, a boy and an older man, who had been shot," said Brobbel, displaying grotesque photos of the man and the boy's infected and swollen gunshot wounds. "If they were in a better hospital, it would probably not be so bad. These are very infected. The kid's mother died in one of these attacks. The man's niece was hurt too, but not very badly." As the hospital did not have the facilities to help the severely injured gunshot victims, Clearview paid $300 each to send them on a boat to a better BEDSIDE VISIT: Dr. Michael Tut Pur visits with a patient under a tree outside his hospital. The hospital only has eight beds, so many patients wait outside. hospital up the river. completion. That says some"It takes three days to get thing for Michael." there. They got on the boat, I While Clearview CRC conknow that, but what became of tinues to fundraise to help Tut them I don't know," said Pur, the situation has become Brobbel. more complicated with the recent unrest that has swept Kenya, the jumping off point "We will support into Sudan. wherever we can. There "We will support wherever are obstacles. Sending we can. There are obstacles. money abroad is a difficult Sending money abroad is a difthing to do." ficult thing to do," said Brobbel. "We have to find a Klaas Brobbel channel so we can get the money there in a sure and legal Although Brobbel did see way." his fair share of sad sights, he While Brobbel admits that notes that miracles have taken channel has not been found place, as well, such as Tut Pur's yet, he is confident it will be recent performing of a cesare- found. an section while the patient Anyone wishing to assist was under local anaesthetic. Clearview CRC's efforts in "That cesarean section South Sudan can send donacould not have been done by tions to the Clearview CRC his untrained staff and the Deacons Fund, 2300 Sheridan child might have died. He is Garden Dr., Oakville, ON making a difference. He's a L6J7R2. Clearly indicate that good doctor," said Brobbel. your donation is for South "Of the 15 that went into Sudan. the refresher course in For more information conNairobi, only three were ready tact Brobbel at 905-849-1227 to go into the field after its or kbrobbel@cogeco.ca.