8/19/2019 GVI Playa Del Carmen Monthly Achievement Report June 2015

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/gvi-playa-del-carmen-monthly-achievement-report-june-2015 1/3

 

GVI.2015.1

June, 2015Playa Del Carmen, Mexico

GVI donates MIC-KEY button to the Integral Care Centre for Special needskids 

Objective

To support our local partners and benefit the local community, mainly, the specialneeds children through the fund raising activities that the volunteers do in Playadel Carmen- without with it this would not have been possible.

Summary

Back in December last year, GVI volunteers participated in a fundraising event,where they picked up rubbish and recyclables from the stretches of the junglelocated in Playa Del Carmen. GVI decided to donate money from what they hadraised to the Integral Care Centre so that Yara, a young girl who is fed through atube, could receive a MIC-KEY button, so that she could once again participatein therapies such as equine and aquatic therapy.

Report

On December 9th  2014, a group of GVIvolunteers participated in a Recyclable Pickup,where they spent the day picking up all sorts ofrubbish and recyclables. Their aim was tofundraise for their partners, as well as help togive back to the community, since the Mexicangovernment donates money to the poor, witheach piece of recyclable material given to thegovernment. The GVI volunteers were able toraise over $750 USD, exceeding their originalgoal.

With the money that was raised, GVI decided todonate the money to the Integral Care Centre,so that a young girl named Yara, would be ableto have a MIC-KEY button placed on her feedingtube system. Yara is eleven years old, hercondition is unknown, but it has many similaritiesto cerebral palsy. She requires constant care,and goes to the Centre everyday Monday to

Friday to participate in special therapies. However, a year ago Yara had to havea tube feeding system inserted into her stomach. The Integral Care Centre has a

Fig. 1: Yara receives the MIC-KEY button

8/19/2019 GVI Playa Del Carmen Monthly Achievement Report June 2015

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/gvi-playa-del-carmen-monthly-achievement-report-june-2015 2/3

 

GVI.2015.1

range of therapies for the kids that go to the Centre, two of which are equine andaquatic therapy. Sadly due to the tube, Yara has been unable to participate inthese therapies as there is a high risk of infection where the tube inserts into her

abdomen. These therapies are of great benefit to disabled kids, especially thosesuffering from cerebral palsy or similar conditions, as it helps greatly with theirmobility.

The Integral Care Centre has been running the equine therapy since it began, ithelps with the relaxing of muscles, balance and movement. When on a horse,the movements of the pelvis are similar to that of walking, so it is a great way forkids such as Yara, who are unable to walk, to experience movements that theyare unable to do by themselves1. Aqua Therapy has many of the same benefitsas equine therapy, and is a great medium, as it reduces a person body weight by90%2, allowing greater ease of movement, this makes aerobic exercises easier

to perform.

On the 20th of June, 2015, Yara andher mother, Edith, the founder anddirector of the Integral Care Centre,flew out to Mexico City, so that Yaracould have the MIC-KEY buttonplaced on her tube. The MIC-KEYbutton isolates the tube and areaaround it, so that it prevents particlesgetting into her digestive system, thuslowering the chances of infection andfuture illnesses.

Since her operation, Yara has alreadybeen able to participate in bothequine and aqua therapy. The GVI volunteers and staff as well as everyone atthe Integral Care Centre have been overjoyed to watch Yara finally be able toparticipate in these great therapies. It has been a long time waiting, and everyoneis very excited to see how Yara improves now that she is able to do more things,with the risk of infection and sickness greatly lowered. GVI is happy to know that

through their volunteer’s fundraising they have been able to give Yara many moreopportunities and experiences in life.

For more information on the projects in Mexico please visit:http://www.gvi.co.uk/volunteer-in-mexico

1  http://cerebralpalsy.org/about-cerebral-palsy/treatment/therapy/hippotherapy/ - viewed on 29th of June 2015 

2  http://cerebralpalsy.org/about-cerebral-palsy/treatment/therapy/aqua-therapy/ - viewed on 29th of June 2015

Fig. 2: GVI staff member helps Yara with Aqua Therapy

8/19/2019 GVI Playa Del Carmen Monthly Achievement Report June 2015

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/gvi-playa-del-carmen-monthly-achievement-report-june-2015 3/3

 

GVI.2015.1

References

http://cerebralpalsy.org/about-cerebral-palsy/treatment/therapy/aqua-therapy/ -viewed on 29th of June 2015

http://ceai.org.mx/- viewed on 29th

 of June 2015http://cerebralpalsy.org/about-cerebral-palsy/treatment/therapy/hippotherapy/ -viewed on 29th of June 2015