Thursday, January 8, 2015

Peer-To-Peer Amputee Program Launches in Vietnam



Pham Qui Thi, Ban Advocate, presenting peer-to-peer Mirror Therapy with upper limb amputees
 With a donation of 20 table-top mirrors, ETPP ToolKits translated into Vietnamese and pain scales from End The Pain Project as well as the joint sponsorship of Handicap International and Project Renew, a mirror therapy workshop for twenty amputees in Hai Lang district, Quang Tri Province, Vietnam was kicked off on December 18, 2014.

Cluster munitions survivor Pham Quy Thi presented the concept of mirror therapy at home, followed by an actual mirror therapy session that lasted for 20 minutes supported by Pham Quy Thi and Nguyen Thanh Phu of the Project Renew Mine Action Visitor Center.

The participants were divided into two groups, one with leg amputations, the other with arm amputations.

 four out of the five upper limb amputee participants had positive feedback. They can really feel their missing fingers moving exactly like what existed before.
Lower limb amputee concentrating on a reflection of his intact leg

A man whose leg was amputated, said  he really could see his missing leg in the mirror after many years, and felt as if he can walk with balance.

Only in one case, a woman reported that she could not feel anything.  Later, she said that she misunderstood what the team had told her. Instead of concentrating on the reflected image of her leg, she just looked at her intact leg. It was concluded that this was the reason why,she did not get any reaction during the session.

Participants of the Mirror Therapy Workshop with instructors Mr. Nguyen and Mr. Pham
All the participants were very happy and and committed to following mirror therapy sessions  at home for one month.