Words from our 2017 OT students

We enjoyed the last two weeks with seven occupational therapy students from St. Catherine University. Here is what they shared about their experience of participating in Eleanore’s Project Lima 2017.

• As a full time student at St. Catherine University, I was eager to head to Lima, Peru alongside my classmates. Even after hours of class lecture and homework, my experience meeting families and modifying wheelchairs to meet the complex needs of the children we worked with was beyond what I could have imagined. Between big challenges and small victories, the people of Eleanore’s Project, Yancana Huasy, and St. Catherine University became a united machine! I will never look at a wheelchair as I did before this project.  Instead I will see a smiling child and a family ready to experience their world in a new way. Participating with Eleanore’s Project is simply an experience beyond what one can grasp from a textbook alone.  Elly

• I learned the importance of teamwork and using others as resources for knowledge. I also recognized and learned about the needs of the families we served and unique aspects of For instance, thinking about the transportation options is important — especially when parents describe descending a mountain and other terrain issues they will have to face when wheeling their children in the community. Maggie

• The experience of Eleanore’s Project helped me learn a lot about my communication and learning styles which will definitely serve me well on fieldwork and as a future occupational therapist (OT). It has also demonstrated the importance of teamwork among professionals and collaboration with families when providing a child with a wheelchair and a sleep system that fits their needs. Ruthann

• Spending time with different therapists and learning from them has been an amazing experience; one that will stick with me the rest of my life. I am so grateful for the opportunity to work with and follow through on the mission of Eleanore’s Project.  I will always remember the collaboration with the Yancana Huasy therapists and what I have learned from them about postural care. It was amazing to me that every parent came in and had already completed a workshop on postural care and were reporting how much it was helping their child sleep at night. Becca

• The rewarding gift of a child’s smile and laughter upon receiving a customized wheelchair that meets his or her needs exemplifies my experience with Eleanore’s Project in Peru. The children, teens, and young adults who are provided with mobility and comfort each have a unique story. Their stories have allowed me to enter into others’ lives, experience life from a new perspective, and inspired me to become a more compassionate and understanding person, future OT, and student. Rachel

• My two weeks in Peru working with Eleanore’s Project volunteers has been a life changing experience. I have been moved in many ways through seeing the smiles on kids’ faces, gracious families, and all the hard work individuals have put into making everything work.  I have learned so much from both the professionals with Eleanore’s Project and the Yancana Huasy therapists. Not only have I gained knowledge about modifying wheelchairs, but I have also found a new love and appreciation for the importance of 24 hour postural care.  Ashton

• Eleanore’s Project has taught me that a language barrier does not stop people from connecting over the desire to love and care for a child. Being resourceful, caring, and determined changed the lives of the children and families we encountered.  I feel honored to have been a part of it.  Hannah