January 2013 NUI Galway Students to Hold Annual Teddy Bear Hospital

The 8th annual Teddy Bear Hospital at NUI Galway will take place Thursday and Friday, 24 and 25 January. The event will see over 1,500 sick teddy bears admitted to the hospital, accompanied by their minders, 1,500 primary school children.

The event is organised by the Sláinte Society, the NUI Galway branch of the International Federation of Medical Students Associations, and up to 200 medical and science students will diagnose and treat the teddy bears. In the process, they hope to help children, ranging in age from 3-8 years, feel more comfortable around doctors and hospitals. Over the years, children have come along with teddy bears suffering from an imaginative range of sore ears, sick tummies and all kinds of others weird and wonderful ailments.

Henry Roberts, a second-year medical student at NUI Galway and co-organiser of Sláinte Society, said: “We have had unprecedented demand for Teddy Bear Hospital this year, and are delighted that so many teddies and their owners can be accommodated. This is one of the biggest community outreach programs in NUI Galway, and it always proves to be a fantastic day, not only for the children but also the students who volunteer!”

This year, 26 local primary schools are participating in the event. On arrival at the Teddy Bear Hospital on campus, the children will go to the ‘waiting room’, which contains jugglers and face painters. Then the children and their teddy bears are seen by a team of Teddy Doctors and Teddy Nurses, who will examine them.  The students will have specially designed X-ray and MRI machines on hand, should the teddy bears need them. Those in need of minor surgery will be stitched up by members of the sewing society present on the day. 

Recuperating teddy bears can avail of medical supplies from the Teddy Bear Pharmacy, stocked with healthy fruit from Total Produce, along with medical supplies from Matt O’Flaherty and Boots to help poor teddy recover.

After all this excitement the children can enjoy a bouncy castle and visit an Order of Malta ambulance. Further support for the event has come from, among others, Abbott pharmaceuticals, MPS, Bons Secours and Leo Walsh pharmacy.

Ríona Hughes, NUI Galway’s Societies Officer, said: “The Teddy Bear hospital is a wonderful opportunity for the students to engage in a meaningful way with the children in Galway City and County schools. It is one of the NUI Galway societies' most colourful and endearing community outreach programme and we are thrilled with its success. Congratulations to Sláinte Society who invite the children and their teddy bears on to campus for such a great reason and we look forward to a rewarding few days for all involved.”

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Otharlann na mBéiríní á reáchtáil ag Mic Léinn OÉ Gaillimh

Den ochtú bliain as a chéile, beidh Otharlann na mBéiríní, ar oscailt in OÉ Gaillimh, Déardaoin, an 24 agus Dé hAoine, an 25 Eanáir. Tiocfaidh breis agus 1,500 béirín tinn chun na hotharlainne lena bhfeighlithe, 1,500 páiste bunscoile.

Is é an Cumann Sláinte, craobh OÉ Gaillimh de Chónaidhm Idirnáisiúnta Chumann na Mac Léinn Leighis, agus suas le 200 mac léinn leighis agus eolaíochta a bheidh ar láimh le scrúdú leighis a dhéanamh ar na béiríní agus le cóir leighis a chur orthu. Tá súil acu go gcuideoidh an ócáid le páistí, idir 3-8 mbliana d’aois, a bheith ar a suaimhneas nuair a bheidh siad ag an dochtúir nó san otharlann. Thar na blianta, thug páistí béiríní chuig an otharlann agus iad ag samhlú go raibh réimse leathan tinnis ag gabháil dóibh cosúil le cluasa tinne, boilg bhreoite agus gach cineál gearán eile faoin spéir.

Bhí an méid seo a leanas le rá ag Henry Roberts, mac léinn leighis sa dara bliain in OÉ Gaillimh agus comheagraí Chumann Sláinte: “Bhí an-éileamh ar Otharlann na mBéiríní i mbliana agus tá an-áthas orainn a bheith in ann freastal ar an oiread béiríní agus a n-úinéirí. Tá sé seo ar cheann de na cláir for-rochtana pobail is mó a reáchtálann OÉ Gaillimh agus bíonn lá iontach ann i gcónaí. Baineann na mic léinn an oiread sásaimh as an lá agus a bhaineann na gasúir!”

I mbliana, tá 26 bunscoil áitiúil páirteach san ócáid. Nuair a thagann na páistí chuig Otharlann na mBéiríní ar an gcampas, rachaidh siad chuig an 'seomra feithimh', áit a mbeidh lámhchleasaithe agus maisitheoirí aghaidheanna ag fanacht orthu. Ansin buailfidh na páistí agus na béiríní le foireann de Dhochtúirí Béiríní agus d’Altraí Béiríní a chuirfidh scrúdú leighis orthu.  Beidh meaisíní speisialta X-gha agus MRI ag na mic léinn ar fhaitíos go mbeidís ag teastáil ó na béiríní. Gheobhaidh na béiríní a dteastóidh obráid bheag uathu a gcuid greamanna ón gcumann fuála ar an lá. 

Beidh Cógaslann Béiríní ann chomh maith, agus beidh torthaí sláintiúla ó Total Produce ann mar aon le soláthairtí leighis ó Chógaslann Matt O’Flaherty agus Boots le cóir leighis a chur ar na béiríní.

Nuair a bheidh an méid sin curtha díobh acu féadfaidh na gasúir ama a chaitheamh ar phreabchaisleán agus cuairt a thabhairt ar otharcharr Ord Mhálta. Tá tacaíocht tugtha don ócáid chomh maith ag Abbott Pharmaceuticals, MPS, Bons Secours agus cógaslann Leo Walsh i measc daoine eile.

Bhí an méid seo a leanas le rá ag Ríona Hughes, Oifigeach na gCumann in OÉ Gaillimh: “Is iontach an deis Otharlann na mBéiríní do mhic léinn casadh le gasúir ó scoileanna na Cathrach agus an Chontae. Tá sé ar cheann de na cláir for-rochtana pobail is deise agus is spraíúla ag cumainn OÉ Gaillimh agus táimid an-bhródúil as chomh maith agus a éiríonn leis an ócáid. Comhghairdeas leis an gCumann Sláinte a thugann cuireadh do na gasúir agus a gcuid béiríní ar an gcampas d’ócáid chomh hiontach leis agus tá súil againn go mbainfidh gach a mbeidh páirteach an-sult as an gcúpla lá seo.”

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