Culture

How Roche enabled me to setup computer teaching in Laos

18 Dec , 2015  

roche-logoIn early July Peter a trustee of the charity school in Laos, spoke with me and asked if I was able to spend a few months in Laos to establish permanent computer teaching programme. I agreed to try and work something out and only days later I woke to a swollen arm and was admitted to hospital with Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT).

After 4 days the massive clot was cleared and planning started to have a rib removed to stop future clots. I was put on Warfarin medication to thin my blood to stop clots until I had surgery. Aside from the risk of going to Laos in such a condition, the game breaker was the weekly blood INR test I needed was not available in Laos.

I was keen to go as my work in past years seemed to have built to the point where the school wanted all students to learn computing – permanently. What a great challenge and difference this would make to students lives.

coaguchekI researched all about the risks of my condition and options available and I found the Coaguchek machine from Roche which is a portable unit that I could use to do my own INR tests. I contacted Roche New Zealand and was delighted (and surprised) when they decided they would loan me a machine that was available at the time. This was a one off special instance but I was over the moon that I would be able to complete the work that the school so desperately needed.

Without the Coaguchek there is no way I could have left New Zealand and there would be no computer classes. I am very grateful to Roche for their support as it has resulted in 200 poor students in Laos (Luang Prabang province) being able to learn computing once a week for the whole school year, which is amazing. Thank you Roche.

 

 

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