Background

I am a qualified Podiatrist but currently undertaking a phD within Glasgow Caledonian University concentrating on foot management through the use of high-tech orthoses on early Rheumatoid Arthritis based patients. My phD aims to develop and test highly personalised orthotics developed through the use of computer-aided design and computer-aided manufacture.

This year, I was awarded educational funding through the Magnus Magnusson Award scheme which will allow me to volunteer in leprosy missions in Bangladesh, specifically Dhaka and Nilphamari. I have chosen to volunteer with leprosy as it is a highly disabling disease with strong implications to the foot but is a disease with reduced prevalence in the UK. I wish to gain knowledge on treatment and management regimes undertaken in Bangladesh but also share and increase their knowledge of management strategies and technology used in the UK.

Towards the end of my trip, I will visit the Grameen Caledonian College of Nursing in Dhaka which is a project which has been set up through a partnership between GCU and the Grameen trust within Bangladesh. I will spend time with the students, sharing details and pictures of my trip, along with a few teaching sessions concentrating on Leprosy and Rheumatoid Arthritis.

On a personal level, I hope to have the opportunity to gain an understanding about the Bangladeshi culture, beliefs and priorities. I feel the invaluable experience of volunteering and working alongside the health-care professionals in Bangladesh will be a life changing experience. I have no doubt that this will open my eyes and allow me to fully understand how people live and the quality of life they have. My main goal is to bond with the people, listen to what they have to endure and most importantly, try to make a difference in the short time I have there.