A team from The Tang Ting Twinning Association (TTTA) returned from their first medical mission to Tang Ting, in October 2011.  Cllr Tina Knight and members of the association, together with Bristol doctor, Dr Fiona Ormerod,  and colleague, Wimbish Nurse, Lucy Curtis, Dr Ian Pearson, dentist, from Devonshire House Dental Practice in Cambridge and Dr Regina Thacklis from Kathmandu, niece of Tarka Gurung from Carver Barracks.  They were also accompanied by dental nurses from Kathmandu and Penny Brown from Wimbish.  All those who went funded the trip themselves. 

Through the generosity of local support throughout the year clothing, shoes, a portable dentist’s chair, dental kit and haemocure unit plus a considerable amount of medication was purchased to treat the sick, many of whom had walked over 6 hours to attend.   All 300 children in the area were seen and assessed, leaving behind them a large dish of extracted teeth.  Unfortunately, tourists to the area continue to give the children boiled sweets which has caused a huge rise in tooth decay over recent years. 

One the second day of the trip, an 18 year old crippled girl, Bishnu Giri, walked 15 hours as she had heard that there was a possibility of seeing a doctor.  The doctors were shocked to see that her feet had been badly burnt in a fire when she was small, resulting in her having no toes whatsoever.  Due to her disability, although a very bright girl, she worked as a Shepherdess and had to live in a cowshed.  Dr Ormerod has been speaking to colleagues back in Bristol and there is now the possibility of Bishnu coming to the UK to have some prosthetic feet made.  As her English was so good, Nurse Lucy Curtis and her mother are sponsoring her to teach in the local school.

The medical professionals are all very keen to repeat the trip next year.  All medically qualified volunteers and very welcome to join them.

If you are interested in joining the team next year or would like to donate to the charity, then please contact Tina Knight on 01799 540881