PACES We believe in your happiness!
Promoted & Applied Social Economy Concepts
Published by the Integrative Medicine Entrepreneurs
The Palace of the Parliament was lit in blue, on Saturday, April 2, the World Autism Awareness Day, by the Integrative Medicine Entrepreneurs, together with the “Autism Romania” Association
Nr. 2, April 2011
20 Andrei Mureşanu Street, sector 1, Bucharest Tel: 0040-372.770.126, Fax: 0040-21.224.46.95 www.patmedin.ro
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Published by Integrative Medicine Entrepreneurs 20 Andrei Mureşanu Street, sector 1, Bucharest Tel: 0040-372.770.126, Fax: 0040-21.224.46.95 www.patmedin.ro
SCRIB PUBLISHING, 2011
Editorial Team Editor in Chief: Editors:
dr. Aurel Storin
Florin Condurăţeanu Irina Ghiţă-Cioroba Cornelius Popa Diana Moraru Clement Sava Anca Moraru Adina Moraru Larisa Toader Oana Gavril Photo Image Editor: Silvia Mandler WEB Administrator: Mihai Breahnă English Translator: George Wainer Layout: Gabriel Ionescu
aurel.storin@patmedin.ro florin.condurateanu@patmedin.ro irina.cioroba@patmedin.ro cornelius.popa@patmedin.ro in2constient@gmail.com clement.sava@patmedin.ro anca.moraru@patmedin.ro adina.moraru@patmedin.ro larisa.toader@patmedin.ro oana.gavril@patmedin.ro silvia.mandler@patmedin.ro mihai.breahna@patmedin.ro geogwww@yahoo.com gabi@etipografie.ro
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ISSN-L 2247 – 0573
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We believe in your happiness!
Editorial
MY BELIEF
My thoughts woke me up that day! I woke up much earlier than I usually do. I was obsessed by the fact that all around me, there were so many disabled persons, and I just could not cope with the thought that was haunting me: How can I be happy when others, so close to me, are suffering? I cannot be quiet, folks, I simply cannot find my peace until I find a solution. It was my opportunity and honor to organize, with the Integrative Medicine Entrepreneurs, a seminar of best practices, together with our partners from England, Scotland and Romania, as part of the project implemented by us for the disabled persons’ support and integration in the larger society, for them to find a job that is proper for those who want to have a job. Unfortunately, some companies have still locked their doors for us. These two days of the seminar were extraordinary and we learned much more than we used to know, most of all from very dedicated people who work in NGOs and have a daily-basis relationship with people in need, especially with the wonderful people who shared a cruel destiny, for which they are not to be blamed. I learned from the extraordinary experiences of our partners from abroad; we could visit them, our partners from England and Scotland, together with other colleagues, and we could see their amazing results. They proved that if we really want it, we can do it. Many interesting things were said at the seminar in Bucharest, but the standard expression there seemed to be “the problem of disabled people”… But are they really the “problem”? I don’t think so, folks! They are our neighbors and not a “problem”. Their soul is warm and their thoughts are good. They want to be useful to the larger society and unfortunately the larger society
sometimes rejects them. We are the real “problem”! We, the civil society and local community, are not always open to the needs of our neighbors. We are sometimes passive and lack vigor, unfortunately, and so we do not let them stay with us. We marginalize them. This is why my belief makes me say all this openly: I think that any of us could be in their stead. Since God helped us be the way we are, folks, let us stand by them, those whose fate was cruel and who need our support. We are often discontent about state institutions which are not committed to their work... How about us? Are we committed enough? Anybody can be useful to a disabled person. Some can provide material support, others can hire them. We can also invite them to our homes and we can help by volunteering. I am using this opportunity to ask you: let us unite in order to find the best solutions for our neighbors. Let me quote Donald Trump: “There always were, are and will be problems, but we are not solving the problem. We have to think of a solution to solve it”. Only together, in unity, will we be able to find these solutions. This is what I believe and this is what my colleagues from the Integrative Medicine Entrepreneurs believe, too. Of course, some might wonder why certain entrepreneurs are committed to social issues. I think that the development of a strong, healthy economy should be based on the promotion of people’s prosperity. In any country, in order to be able to speak of a real economic development, the middle level of the economy should be dominant. Unfortunately, the lower level of economy and of the living standard dominates here. As far as you are concerned, I would love to see you close to us, together with us: representatives of state institutions who are in charge of these issues, the Welfare Departments of Local and County Councils, NGOs and all good folks who wish to fulfill the noble tasks of the Integrative Medicine Entrepreneurs. My heart is open to all of you. I wish us all to create a more prosperous, more efficient and more humane society than the one we are sharing today. This is my belief! Liviu Mandler President, The Integrative Medicine Entrepreneurs
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Promoted & Applied Economy Social Concepts Nr. 2/April 2011
About us
Mission To promote, develop, adopt and implement integrative medicine as part of the medical practice in Romania. The concept of Integrative medicine places the patient in the center of the medical team and means to use all proven safe and efficient therapies, no matter where the system of medical thought these therapies may originate from.
Vision Our vision considers that integrative medicine is the common solution and meeting place for medical doctors, educators and researchers all for the benefit of the patient. P.M.I. will act as a central reference point and as a representative, communication, education and collaboration factor, in connection with the public and private authorities who rule and/or coordinate this field in the country and abroad. We also identify the specific issues faced by providers of integrative medicine, as well as the optimal solutions to solve them.
Projects under development
● Supporting disadvantaged persons A regional network for the promotion and application of the social economy concepts, meant to increase the chances of social reinsertion of disabled people. • Supporting patients who suffer from cancer A multiregional network for integrative therapy, counseling and social reintegration of persons who were diagnosed with cancer. • The Integrative Medicine Entrepreneurs – PMI The www.patmedin.ro site, where you can find more information about our current activities.
OBJECTIVES • To represent and protect the interests of integrative medicine service providers from Romania, both at a national and international level. • To develop a framework for the associated members to discuss and ask questions, mention various issues, proposals for situations of common interest, as well as to help creating and developing unitary strategies for their support and for finding solutions. • To represent and to plead for the support of the strategies adopted by the Entrepreneurs when approaching the Parliament, the Government, other authorities and/or national/local institutions, as well as when approaching the media and any other relevant entity from Romania and from abroad. • To promote the best practices among its members, by assuring ethical, responsible means of organization and function for the integrative medicine, meant to comply with the expectations of the community, at the highest standards of integrity. • To take all legal actions for the creation of a proper normative framework meant to develop the organization and functioning of the integrative medicine. It should also best reflect the compatibility process of the requirements of this economic group and the needs of the larger society. Thus, the Entrepreneurs will be able to initiate contacts with the authorities in charge of implementing approved projects of normative acts and to actively participate, as far as the legal system allows it, in the creation, approval, public debate and implementation of normative act projects which refer to our field of interest, as well as to other related fields. • To become an affiliate or full member, from case to case, of those international associations which are actively involved in the organization and functioning of integrative medicine, so that the interests of the integrative medicine in Romania will be represented internationally, and for the correlation of its organization and functioning in Romania with the international standards in this field. • To organize meetings, conferences, exhibitions and workshops for exchanging experience with various associations, foundations or other institutions which have a similar profile. To sign agreements of partnership with medical or non-medical institutions, foundations of associations whose objectives are common or close to those of the Entrepreneurs.
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We believe in your happiness!
Love… an alternative medicine
I
t was a glowing March morning. A good, generous sun definitely made me step out of the house. I couldn’t even think why… or where I was going? I got close to the road, in the Charles de Gaulle Square. I saw a lot of people at the entrance of the Herăstrău Park. No wonder… it was Saturday. I almost closed my eyes and glanced (I do not wear sunglasses) at the King of the Sky which made me leave home and I asked it, in my mind: “Boss, was I supposed to be here?” A sunbeam shone stronger, which I considered a nod and I charged for the entrance of the park. It was the busy ambiance of a holiday: colored balloons, peddlers who sold beads, scarves, earrings, tinsel, cheese and home-made sausages… happy children with lollypops. I was intrigues by the large group near a large, white tent. Like any other Romanian woman… I tried to see… what they were giving for free… I was fascinated to see that they were giving oranges and love! Ladies of all ages, dressed in white T-shirts, were giving fliers in which people were urged to make sports and eat healthy in order to prevent colon cancer. It was only then that I noticed the writings on their T-shirts: “The international month for the fight against colon cancer” and I realized that the person who exercised in the open, with all the others who wish to make some sports, was Florentina
Opriş, the aerobic gymnastics star. At that point, I wondered who had organized the wonderful thing in front of me. I learned about a touching love story: Once upon a time, a man fell in love with a woman. They had a great, beautiful love, but, one day, the lady of his heart got very, very ill, from a mean, merciless disease, and she left for the stars. After that, the man founded an association for the fight against cancer, hoping that, if people got together with their minds and souls, perhaps they could keep other such love stories alive. Meantime, after having shed so many tears of sorrow, the man got ill from the same disease, but continued to gather more and more people, until he created a real army to fight cancer. His association became the Federation of Cancer Patients Associations. They were the ones who told me about the story of the white tent with oranges. I wiped my not-so-esthetic nose and tears and, after having glanced once more at my accomplice in the sky, I almost whispered to it: “As long as the ill are generous enough to forget about their suffering and to try to help the healthy save themselves, my dear Sun, it is your duty to light their path because I think God has already invented a miraculous pill of the alternative medicine – LOVE. Angela C.
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Promoted & Applied Economy Social Concepts Nr. 2/April 2011
We can always learn from others
ery often, while waiting in European airports, I could see that a lot of attention is paid to disabled persons. They are treated almost as if they were diplomats: they do not have to stay in a queue, have their separate access gates and proper staff watches over them. This happens all over the Western World: in stores, at public events, anywhere a disabled person shows up, he or she enjoys a special attention. I will not mention the institutional system due to which these people are supervised, helped to fit in and protected by participating in various actions, and not by being isolated. I am not a supporter of forms without content and I do not believe that we should automatically imitate everything that happens in the Occident. Of course, they have their problems and setbacks. Still, as far as the treatment enjoyed by disabled persons is concerned, we can certainly learn from their success models. Of course, it all begins with education, with the way we perceive the disabled persons. The Eastern model is based on their isolation and oblivion, as if they were not supposed to have been born, as if the communist New Man had to be perfectly healthy and fit for work and those who did not comply with this ideal somehow contradicted the theory of perfection developed by the official ideology. It is precisely for this reason that former communist states still face a tendency of forgetting disabled people, as if not talking about them and not seeing them meant that they were not there and the problem was solved. On the contrary, the Occident is proud of their disabled persons and encourages success models which are to be later promoted as great
human achievements, since they really are. In this sense, they created the Olympic Games for this category, the famous Paralympics. There is no better proof of openness than encouraging the disabled to be good at sports! Still, the openness of the western model is not limited to sports. Disabled persons are socially integrated, have responsibilities and very important jobs. Unfortunately, whenever a Romanian disabled person is successful, this does not happen as a result of the aid provided by the society or state, but due to their own efforts. This is also why we have so few such accomplishments, very little if compared to the number of those who cannot get over their situation: they are not supported to do so. Thus, we have to admit that we can always learn from others, in order to have the proper openness and goodwill to start going on this path. One of the activities of the “Regional network for the promotion and application of social economy concepts, in order to develop the chances of social reinsertion of disabled persons” European Project, co-funded by the European Social Fund, through the Sectorial Operational Program for the Human Resources Development 2007-2013, specifically focuses on bringing to Romania our European partners who are willing to share their expertise and knowledge about the integration of disabled persons into the larger society. All we have to do now is open our eyes and listen, in order to implement in Romania projects that are already successful in other countries. Clement Sava
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We believe in your happiness!
„We Work and Evolve Together” Interview with Naomi Bulliard, Newham College of Further Education, England
C
lement Sava: What is your impression after the exchange of experience with the Romanian side of the European Project for Disabled Persons? Naomi Bulliard: Before I came to this course, I heard that Romania was far behind in the field of care for disabled persons. Still, when I got here, I noticed it is not quite the truth and I was pleasantly surprised by the things that were already done. As far as the course is concerned, I think it is more like an exchange of information and ideas. I do not think Great Britain has an answer to Romania’s problems in this field. This is why we are working together and we evolve together for the integration of disabled persons in the larger society, especially in the labor system. It is extraordinary to be able to enjoy different perspectives. C.S.: What do you advise us to do next and what should we take from your practices? N.B.: I do not think I or anybody else should tell you what to do. We can only show you what we did in our country, but not as if we were experts. I think no one is really an expert in such situations. You are the ones to decide if there are good things in our system and if you wish you can copy them. Any step that you take is welcome. Even the change of the “disabled persons” term brings about a good change in people’s mentality. C.S.: Who should get more involved in the issue of disabled persons, the NGOs or state institutions? N.B.: It would be helpful if the Government implemented the existing laws. But it is people who really have more power in order to change mentalities and the way in which disabled persons are viewed. Thus, people become more aware of the needs and especially of the rights of this social category. I think that the source of problematic attitudes is the lack of information. People are not properly informed and are not aware that things can change. This is why I say that we have here an opportunity to express democracy, to show that people have the power to change collective mentalities and to take attitude. Thus, if people take attitude, the Government would have no choice but to get more involved in this issue.
C.S.: What is the first step we should take, from an institutional perspective? N.B.: If we really want to successfully integrate disabled persons in the labor system, we first have to work with the education system. A disabled person will never work unless he or she is educated and his or her capabilities are best used. This is why we have to make sure that they have access to vocational educational training, as well as to the higher education system, in universities, so that employers will have no reason to reject them for not having the same qualification as regular graduates. C.S.: What do you think about these two days of the seminar? N.B.: I think we have promising results. I was actually amazed by all things that were already done and by people’s enthusiasm, in here. More importantly and happily, we all have the same purpose and work in the same direction. Nevertheless, we need to discover the best methods to be applied in Romania. In this sense, I think Romanians are the most entitled to notice the more efficient paths, too. I would love to see your situation and progress in five years from now. C.S.: The central purpose of the meeting was to find a method for making this an ideal partnership. What conclusions have you reached? N.B.: The secret is to take small steps. Different things can be copied and implemented from one country to another. In Great Britain, we educate children and later find jobs for them. Perhaps other organizations use other methods. I think that the most important contribution of the people to this process is the support they provide to private organizations. Anyhow, Romanians need to decide what’s best and fit to their culture and mentality in Romania.
Interview taken by Clement Sava
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Promoted & Applied Economy Social Concepts Nr. 2/April 2011
Around the World in a wheelchair Vasile Stoica is one of the few Romanians who appeared in the World Records’ Book. It is not about any record, but about one that was reached in a wheelchair. He traveled tens of thousands of kilometers around the world, in a wheelchair and took part in several national and international competitions. Vasile is endowed with a strong will and perseverance, so that he travels and enjoys the places he sees just like anybody else. His disability cannot stop him from going all over the world. He crossed Hungary, Germany, France, Canada, the United States of America (the East Coast and 500 kilometers of the West Coast), Australia (the East Coast, from Melbourne to Cairns), Egypt, Turkey and Bulgaria.
H
is story is very impressive. He is a nevertired traveler who went on and saw a large part of the world. “I was born in June 1970 in Măguri-Răcătău, Cluj County, in a poor family with many children. I have three sisters and four brothers. I am the fourth child of my family. From age one to seven I mainly lived in hospitals. During this time, I went through 13 surgical operations at both legs, since I was born with a congenital paraplegia. Unfortunately, all these interventions did not improve my medical state too much. I now have to live all my life in a wheelchair.
I spent my childhood at School no. 9 and in its dormitory from Jucu de Sus, Cluj County, where I graduated the first eight grades among other people who suffered from physical disabilities. At the time, I didn’t even have a wheelchair. I was a «crawler»… This was the name given to the children of Jucu who could only move around on their hands, since we did not have wheelchairs. My father died in 1985. He was the only person who had a job in our family, so that we soon faced financial dire straits. In 1991, I went to Lugoj, where I graduated an Arts School, the painting class. Painting was my childhood hobby. My talent was acknowledged and I took part in exhibitions. I then tried to earn a living as a painter. Since 1992, after I traveled to France, I saw that disabled persons practice sports and I decided to do the same, even if I was stuck in my wheelchair.” ACCOMPLISHMENTS In the spring of 1993, The Association of the Physically Disabled Persons from Lugoj, where I was registered as a member, was invited at the EUROPEAN CONFERENCE OF DISABLED PERSONS, organized in SIOFOK, Hungary. It is then that I decided to go from Lugoj to Siofok in my wheelchair, as a token of friendship. I traveled 340 kilometers in four days. In May 1993, I took part in the CHALLENGE DAY Marathon from Bucharest. I was the first person in a wheelchair from Romania to ever take part in this marathon. In August 1993, I started a new journey, this time to France. THE MARATHON OF COURAGE entailed 3.400 kilometers on my own, in a wheelchair, in 40 days. I crossed Hungary, Austria, Germany and France. The objective of this marathon was to take part in the National Conference of the BUGIES DE NOEL Association, and my itinerary was a token of friendship and gratitude to all the people and organizations which helped the disabled people of Romania. I
We believe in your happiness!
think that my courage to make this journey on my own also inspired all other disabled people. I have thus become a known, appreciated person, both in Romania and abroad. I was also a guest of Mrs. DANIELLE MITTERRAND at the Élysée Palace and this is a proof that my efforts were appreciated. As soon as I returned to Romania, I started to train and take part in sports competitions for disabled people, together with my colleagues from Lugoj. After a short time, I became National Champion at the speed and endurance competitions. In 1994, together with other friends and colleagues from Lugoj, I founded the “MARATON ’93” Sports Club for the Physically Disabled, in Lugoj. I was appointed President of the club and, in a short time, we were the best such club in the country. In 1995, I decided to start a new journey. This time, it was a TOUR OF THE WORLD IN A WHEELCHAIR. I wanted to get to ATLANTA, at the opening of the PARALYMPIC GAMES. I left on May 15, 1995 from Bucharest. I crossed ROMANIA, HUNGARY, SLOVAKIA, POLAND, SWEDEN, DENMARK, GERMANY, THE NETHERLANDS, BELGIUM and FRANCE. Unfortunately, I had to give it all up at the border with Spain because I could not find more sponsors. I was very upset for not having been able to finalize this project. I was in good shape and I have been dreaming for a long time to take part in the PARALYIMPIC GAMES. In May 1998, I started a new tour around the world in a wheelchair. I came back to Romania in 1999, after having crossed my country, Hungary, Austria, Germany, France, Canada, the United States (the East Coast and 500 kilometers of the West Coast), Australia (the East Coast from
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Melbourne la Cairns), Egypt, Turkey, Bulgaria and back to Romania. On October 20 – 21, 2001, I was registered in the Book of World Records for improving the former world record of 124 kilometers, for the longest distance ever traveled in a wheelchair, on a stadium track, in 24 hours. Thus, I broke the former record of a Canadian man who moved on a track for 19 hours and 16 minutes. When the 24 hours ended, I had made a new record of 132 kilometers. This event took place in California at the College of the Canyon. During the last tracks there, I was joined and encouraged by a few friends, neighbors and children. My new record was also included in a documentary series about extraordinary disabled persons from all over the world. It is called BROKEN WINGS and was produced by Amphion Productions Inc. from Los Angeles (www.amphionpro.com). Another tour I made took place in the spring of 2003, from Los Angeles to Chicago on the famous Route 66. I traveled 3.800 kilometers in 66 days, through the states of California, Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, Kansas, Oklahoma, Missouri and Illinois. In 2006, from July 7 to October 17, I made another tour in a wheelchair produced by a Swiss firm, Kuschall. I went from Bucharest to Cabo Finisterre (Spain) and Dusseldorf (Germany), no less than 7.375 kilometers, in 3 months and 10 days. In 2008: The Romania – Russia Tour. More than 4000 kilometers traveled in a hand-bike, until I reached Volgograd. 2008, Turneu România–Rusia. Peste 4000 km efectuaţi cu handbike-ul până la Volgograd.
Irina Ghiţă-Cioroba
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Promoted & Applied Economy Social Concepts Nr. 2/April 2011
GREAT DISABLED PERSONALITIES
OF THE
WORLD
Ever since ancient times, great personalities of the world suffered from various disabilities, but this did not stop them from having very good results, from living a full life and from inscribing their name in the history of culture and civilization. The confrontation with physical disabilities and the will to get over strengthened their will, their character. They are now examples for the whole of mankind. We shall next introduce some of these personalities. The list is very long...
H
STEPHEN WILLIAM HAWKING
e is a very famous English physicist, specialized in astronomy and his books were translated in tens of languages. Despite the fact that he is involved in the study of theoretical astronomy, a field that might seem to be only for specialists, at first sight, his work, “A Short History of Time”, rapidly became a best-seller and was on the first place in a list made by “The Sunday Times”, for 237 weeks. Hawking was born in January 8, 1942 in Oxford, where his parents found shelter after fleeing from London. At the time, the British Capital was under heavy German bombardment. The family returned to London after he was born and later moved to St. Albans. There, Stephen attended the primary school and high school, where he was not remarked in any way. He liked mathematics and decided to study it at the faculty. Nevertheless, his father, a biologist, wanted his son to attend the same college he graduated from – the Oxford University College. Mathematics was not part of the curricula then and Stephen decided to apply to natural sciences, in which he gained a scholarship. He specialized in
physics, more precisely in thermodynamic relativity and quantum mechanics. Already, his teachers could see his original intelligence. After graduation, he decided to study theoretical astronomy. Thus, he studied theoretic astronomy and cosmology at Trinity Hall Cambridge.
The Start of the Disease Soon after having reached Cambridge, in 1962, the first signs of his disease appeared. It was the amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS or Lou Gehrig’s disease) and he lost neuromuscular control almost completely. The disease developed even more. In 1974, he was no longer able to feed himself or get out of bed and could no longer speak clearly. In 1985, he suffered from pneumonia. A tracheotomy was performed on him and he almost became incapable of uttering anything at all. A researcher from Cambridge made an instrument for him to be able to write at his computer by slight movements of the body. Due to a voice synthesizer, he was able to hear what he wrote. He is completely paralyzed at this time.
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We believe in your happiness!
Round Table
“An Inclusion-favorable Economic Development: Average-Term National Priorities”
All these physical disabilities did not stop him from becoming one of the most important scientists of his time or from having a family life. He further developed Einstein’s theory of relativity, by proving the existence of gravitational singularity in time and space. Together with other three mathematicians, he discovered a mathematical proof of black holes’ features and he developed a team which elaborated on the four laws on the black holes’ mechanics, in analogy with the field of thermo-dynamics. He and Jim Hartle developed a model in which the universe has no boundaries in time and space, by replacing the classical models of the Big Bang with a somehow similar region to the North Pole, meaning that no one can go to the north of the North Pole, since it is boundless. In 2006, he and Thomas Hertzog from CERN elaborated on top-down cosmology, a revolutionary theory about the history of the universe. Many other theories are connected to his name. Hawking is a keen supporter of the existence of extraterrestrial life theory, which he proves with mathematic models, as well as of the need for cosmic flights, especially since mankind’s future will be in space, far away from Terra, he says. Despite the fact that he is paralyzed, he took part in an orbital flight to an area with zero gravity, on April 27, 2007. It was for the first time in 40 years that he moved freely, without the wheelchair. Stephen Hawking was awarded many distinctions and honors. Two statues were erected in his honor and two research institutes are named after him, one being in Cambridge. Eva Galambos
This round table was organized by the Department of Foreign Affairs, the Romanian Parliament and the departments in charge of this field of interest. The main topics of discussion were: The Europe 2020 Strategy and the National Reform Program (2011 - 2013), with the following national objectives: social inclusion/reducing poverty, reducing the early school abandonment, getting jobs for the people. The Europe 2020 Strategy The basis of the strategy is a communiqué issued by the European Committee on March 3, 2011. It is called EUROPE 2020 – A Durable, Intelligent, European Strategy in Favor of (Social) Inclusion. The three priorities of the Europe 2020 Strategy, which define EU’s vision on social market economy for the 21st century, refer to: a) An intelligent development, by having an economy which is based on knowledge and innovation; b) A durable development, by promoting a more efficient, ecologic and competitive economy; c) A development in favor of (social) inclusion, by promoting an economy with a high level of job occupancy, meant to ensure social and territorial cohesion. The five main objectives for reaching the three priorities in the EU by 2020 are: 1. An occupancy rate of the population aged 20 to 64 of 75%; 2. (Public and private) investments in research and development – 3% of the EU’s GNP; 3. Reaching the „20/202/20” in the field of energy and climate change; 4. A maximal level of 10% for early school abandonment and a minimal level of 40% of the graduation rate at a tertiary educational institution, for youngsters aged 30 to 34; 5. Reducing the number of European citizens who face poverty and social exclusion by 20 millions. These main objectives are part of the National Reform Program. Anca Luca
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Candidates for social life
U
nited we stand, divided we fall! ...The fact is, our issue is much discussed, but we are still excluded from the larger society! This is true both for daily life and for the quite few chances and opportunities enjoyed by disabled persons in Romania. One of the stringent problems faced by our society refers to the disabled persons’ uncertain socio-economic situation, caused by a lack or insufficient development of social services provided by the state for adult disabled persons. On the other hand, disabled persons are also facing discrimination from the larger society. This attitude is developing because of a poor, improper process of information and acknowledgement of the issues referring to this socially marginalized group. The change of any society begins with small, slow steps, but it is sure that, in time, the proper pace and staying power will have left their trace and we shall start noticing the first signs of an improved social behavior, shared by everybody, in order to accept disabled persons. At the same time, the change of the society en masse begins from modifying three major coordinates: Attitude, Mentality and Behavior. The good side of this difficult situation refers to the fact that we now have various organizations, institutions, NGOs and social factors which are getting more and more involved in a series of issues faced by disabled persons and their tutors. The less good part is that it is not enough to have these social actors… they are not that many and not enough people listen to or support them. Still, let us see some of the real issues faced by disabled persons: - marginalization and a high risk of social exclusion, - their rights are not complied with, - they do not get included in a special educational program adapted to their requirements and needs, - they lack job opportunities, - the lack of/insufficient information services, as well as educational and professional training
services, - they face certain prejudices about their image and potential as disabled persons, - the employers’ reticence to offer jobs that are adapted for disabled persons, - the lack of their families’/tutors’ support and trust. Here are some of the causes of the situations which were presented below: - the lack of/insufficient social services provided by the state for disabled persons, - the unclear, incomplete legislation about their rights and inclusion in the labor system, - the insufficient, distorted information reached by employers, as well as employees, - the lack of local, regional and national level information about issues referring to social economy, - the insufficient information reached by families about the types of social and psychological services they could reach to. Thus, by focusing on the justified development of the motivation to include and accept disabled persons as part of the larger society, it is sure that we shall have more chances and opportunities to act for every single cause and to facilitate a series of social services, to develop specific educational programs that are adapted to the requirements and needs faced by disabled persons, as well as to develop individual and family programs of psychological counseling, and to develop educational and professional training programs
We believe in your happiness! and lectures, in order to integrate disabled persons into the labor system. There would even be an enhanced effect, since it entails a double active participation in the labor system: on one side, there are the disabled persons, on the other, there are the many tutors/family members who can come back into the labor system due to the fact that they no longer have to work with the child/young person in need of special care. Such interventions may stimulate disabled persons to actively participate in personal education, development and professional training. At the other end of the “road” we can see and especially encourage important results in the society, such as: - a decrease of family abandonment rate, - a decrease of school abandonment rate, - an improvement of the relationship between
13 care-takers and the disabled persons by reducing their level of dependence; - a rise both of the family’s/tutors’ autonomy, and of the disabled persons. All of the above, as well as many other factors, can surely guide the society and its actors to the right, wanted direction. Not so long ago, this caused a lot of suffering, created obstacles and rejection, but the new direction can only change the rejecting attitude of the society about a social group which enjoys such a high potential. Thus, they do assure an active role in the society and will no longer be simply labeled as disabled, passive people who only ask for their rights to be taken into consideration. Many of their rights are still not complied with. Diana O. MORARU, Clinical Psychologist
The natural control of an artif icial arm
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his phenomenon is known as the “ghost arm” – the pain which is still felt by a person whose arm or leg has been amputated. Obviously, this happens because the nerves’ ends continue to send pain impulses to the brain, where the image of the missing limb still exists. Nevertheless, since the nerves are functional, why couldn’t we reuse them to send commands to artificial, electronic limbs? An electronic hand, such as the one in the picture, could take over the nerve’s signal, which is electrical, and use it to move a prosthetic device. But electronics scientists went even further: they successfully stimulated the nerves of a paralyzed hand or leg so as to set into motion the muscles that no longer respond to commands. As you can see in the picture, the artificial system is much larger and complicated than the natural one that helps us move the arm, being a shoulder-blade that weighs a few kilos. It is our moral duty to remind you that such electronic forearms were also made at the Orthopedic Clinic of the Central Military Hospital from Bucharest, more than thirty years ago. The most modern system does not directly take over the nervous signal, but has certain sensors on the skin that detect the commands sent by the brain to the “ghost muscles”, by electromyography (EMG). These commands are electrically translated into movements of the device. The so called “targeted reinnervation” was created by Todd Kuiken, the director of the
Center for Nervous Engineering of artificial limbs within the Rehabilitation Institute from Chicago. This technique redirects the nerves that originally commanded the missing limb to other parts of the body. Thus, the movement of the prosthetic device is commanded by flexing the chest muscles. By redirecting the motor nerves to the part of the missing limb that is still in its place or to the chest and shoulder muscles and by connecting sensorial nerves to the skin of that area, a new channel is open to the area of the brain that used to control the missing part of the hand or leg. Multi-sensor devices were already invented and were attached to the skin of disabled persons who use artificial limbs, so that they even have tactile sensations sent by the device! This technique was successfully applied in 40 patients from several countries and is available all over the world, but costs are still high. Andrei Banc
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I.I., an Accomplishment of the Romanian Medical System
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.I. used to be a teacher in Timişoara. She was married to a doctor and realized that her breast nodules, though not painful, could be dangerous. She was scheduled for a test. It was in the 1980’s when Dr. Crişan, a surgeon, implemented the Halstad method on her without waiting for the lab test results, anymore. He only discussed with the patient’s husband, who was also a medical doctor. Her left breast was extirpated, as well as the whole axillar ganglionar chain. Early in the morning, she woke up in a state of shock. Her verdict was cancer. She was only 39 and had a missing breast. She felt as if it was all over for her, she felt finished, butchered. At the time, there were no psychologists in town. Nobody explained to her that the “lesser evil” was chosen in order to stop the “greater evil”. Many years from that moment on, she said that she was healthy when she entered the hospital, but was ill when she got back home. It was true: a cotton pad was forgotten inside and her life became a hell, later on. She was very lucky not to reach a state of septicemia. Her strong organism enclosed the foreign body and this protected her. It is only after six months that surgeons realized their mistake. Other infections followed. After that, she got infected with Pseudomonas Aeruginosa, from the hospital, which brought about more pain. Some more chemotherapy followed. Naturally, the patient was weakened, but she did not give up. Her strong will and her two children worth fighting for kept her alive. Her wounds became scars. She made a complete recovery, especially after a famous Romanian soccer player brought a prosthetic device from England, for her. She was happy to hide her scar and to be able to wear, once again, classy dresses. One cannot imagine how much stronger she felt, from the social point of view, after she received the prosthetic device that was so hard to get during the communist regime. The disability was now completely hidden. She used to spend holidays at her sister’s place, in Eforie. There was the sea, the sun, the medical mud and the sand of the beach. She was sunbathing in the afternoon as well, even if doctors told her to give it up completely. She just couldn’t quit one of her few pleasures. Every two years, she used to go check her health in Cluj. She always trusted the doctors there. Their behavior was impeccable. Professor Nicolae Ghilezan and his team were close to her. They provided medical and psychological advice. She felt at home there. She traveled a lot, especially in Eastern countries and did not feel the burden of the disease.
After a few years, it came back. Other surgical operations followed and she lost hope. Nevertheless, she continued to fight, even after the crisis set in by the cytostatics. By then, she knew about the therapy of trust in doctors and in her strength. She kept on fighting until she realized that ten years had passed since her first surgical operation. She got scared only after having counted the many women who had disappeared from hospital wards. One day, she realized that only she was still alive. She felt it was time to thank God some more. Despite being a believer, she decided to look for a priest at the Metropolitan Cathedral. Her friends were always with her. Nobody realized she started going to church more and more. She was not showing off about it. For her, communication with God was a mystery to be kept inside and never shown.
The children and friends kept her good spirits The Romanian Revolution found her on the stairs of the Cathedral of Timişoara. In fact, she was looking for the children: hers and the students at school, for whom she was the head teacher. She left only after having persuaded some (to go home). She never imagined that, in a few minutes, that place would witness the beginning of the slaughter: 13 were killed. She came back with candles the second day, like many others in Timişoara. After the Revolution, I.I. enjoyed a second life. Despite being upset by the relapse, the discovery of the free world, of the Occident, fascinated her. She was in a hurry to see as much as possible. In 1996, some 16 years after the onset of the cancer, a merciless pain took her to a radiology lab. The long silence of her good friend Tuki, the radiologist, made her soon realize it was the end. A few days later, she was plagued by a mechanical jaundice. Her son took her to Cluj. The doctors discovered her metastases, but a special style to communicate kept her in good spirits. She started drinking the tea of a fashionable naturist healer of the time. She was very strict and devoted to it, since she felt it was her last chance to survive. With mathematical precision and a lot of trust, she took it six times a day, in accordance with the written schedule. She successfully fought the mechanical jaundice and the doctors were amazed. She continued to teach for almost another year. She taught history until the last week of her life. Marius Ghilezan
We believe in your happiness!
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Integrative Medicine Entrepreneurs’ Monitoring on the Occasion of the World Autism Awareness Day
The Romanian Parliament Was Lit in Blue for People to Be Aware of Autism
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he Palace of the Parliament was lit in Blue on Saturday, April 2, on the World Autism Awareness Day, mentions a press release of the Integrative Medicine Entrepreneurs. This event is part of the “Light It Up Blue” international campaign, due to which landmark buildings from all over the world are lit in blue, and the glow of this color makes people aware of autism. In Romania, the Palace of the Parliament, as well as the National Theater of Bucharest, the Romanian Athenaeum, the Arch of Triumph, the Academy of Economical Studies and the Gate of the Kiss were also lit in blue. It was all organized by “Autism Romania”, a member of the Autism Europe international organization, together with the Integrative Medicine
Entrepreneurs. Autism is a complex neuro-biological disorder which affects communication, social relations and the person’s behavior. According to the data supplied by the Integrative Medicine Entrepreneurs, circa 67 million persons from all over the world currently suffer from autism. One child in one hundred is autistic and one of 70 is male. The “Autism Romania” organization estimates that circa 40.000 children could be affected by this neuro-biological disorder. It is hard to estimate the number of adults, especially since they are hard to diagnose. If we add families, the number of those whose daily life is affected triples.
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Promoted & Applied Economy Social Concepts Nr. 2/April 2011
Oana Antonescu, a Member of the European Parliament, moderated a debate about Alzheimer’s disease in Brussels
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ana Antonescu, a Member of the European Parliament (MEP) mandated by the Liberal Democratic Party (PDL) within the Committee for Environment, Public Health and Alimentary Safety, co-presided the “Health and Science Briefing on Alzheimer’s disease” debate, on Wednesday, January 26, 2011, in Brussels. The MEP mentioned that it is only by a coordinated effort and a continuous dialogue that EU member states will be able to successfully fight against this disease, at a communal level. The modern actions in the case of Alzheimer’s disease, as well as the social and economic impact on those who suffer from it, were the main topics of debate. After Nenad Bogdanovic’s (Pfizer) and Annette Dumas’s (Alzheimer Europe) presentations, Oana Antonescu moderated the debate. The MEP underlined that such meetings are meant to bring together all parties interested in finding solutions to the Alzheimer’s disease, in Europe. “These discussions are essential for the continuation of efforts made in Europe lately in order to fight Alzheimer’s disease, such as: «The report about the European initiative about Alzheimer’s disease and other types of dementia», voted last week in a plenary meeting of the European Parliament, in Strasbourg, for which I was appointed as Rapporteur from the group of the European Popular Party, as well as the research performed by private companies and the studies of the Alzheimer Europe organization. Their objectives focus on an early diagnostic and on interventions in the early stages of the disease. In my opinion, this is the key to progress in the fight against this
disease”, mentioned Oana Antonescu. MEP Oana Antonescu pointed out the focal point of the two presentations on the social, economic and health implications of the disease. During this very dynamic debate, the guests referred to the best possible way to improve the doctors’ and caretakers’ education, so that they might see the symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease in
its early stages, as well as the need to provide an early diagnostic and treatment in all EU member states. The event was also co-moderated by Nessa Childers (MEP, the S&D Group) and by Marisa Matias (MEP, the Confederal Group of the United European Left). Nenad Bogdanovic (Senior Medical Director at Pfizer Europe) and Annette Dumas (Representative of the Alzheimer Europe NGO) also spoke at the event. Irina Ghiţă-Cioroba
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We believe in your happiness!
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Love on three plastic legs
hen they got to our meeting place, they were holding hands. Just two married people who prove their love was still warm in this way, even after some years of marriage, when routine or boredom may sometimes appear. But this is not the case. The Gheorghiţoius are still in love. Quite thin and smartly dressed, their pleasant silhouettes make one imagine the elegance of their soul, thoughts and behavior. I called them because I wanted to write a few lines about them, who won over the tough, unfair destiny. How is it possible for Dorina and Gheorghe Gheorghiţoiu to be winners? Because both of them, husband and wife, came to share their thoughts with me walking on their own, with firm steps, despite the fact that they had three plastic legs together, that is three prosthetic legs and only one normal leg, made of flesh and bones. This is a love based on three plastic legs and only one leg that is similar to anyone else’s. Dorina had both her legs surgically removed, since her serious medical condition entailed the amputation of her legs, which were dead at the time. Gheorghe Gheorghiţoiu went through an accident because of which he lost his right leg. They met in the waiting room of the firm that made prosthetic devices for disabled people, left without legs or hands. They talked about the health problems they faced and felt that it was fate that helped them meet. Dorina and Gheorghe fell in love and decided to take the same path in life. They felt they could depend on one another and that their souls did
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not need prosthetic devices anymore. These are wonderful, whole souls, and neither disease, nor a car crash could make their souls less beautiful. Their love is lasting and they got married. When they went to the Church, their steps were firm: the prosthetic devices of the bride’s both legs, above the knees, and the groom’s plastic leg were not visible and they looked good walking together. Their love, on three plastic legs and a normal one proved to be fruitful and the Gheorghiţoius have a handsome, lively son. Moreover, Gheorghe Gheorghiţoiu has an important job: he is the financial director of the Hospital of Novaci. We can only be proud of their victory. They are winners in life and love, having been stronger than their disability. Florin Condurăţeanu
Information. Cancer. Life!
n February 24, 2011, the “Information. Cancer. Life!” campaign for a healthy lifestyle, for the prevention of disease risk and for awareness of the need to go to regular medical checkups was launched. It was organized by the Integrative Medicine Entrepreneurs, within the “Multiregional network for integrative therapy, counseling and social reintegration of persons who were diagnosed as having cancer” project. The promotional “Information. Cancer. Life!” campaign targets the civil society for awareness on the social reintegration of those who were diagnosed with cancer and for informing the larger public on prevention methods for cancer, as well as for the promotion of a healthy lifestyle. The event was attended by representatives of Non-Government Organizations from Romania, representatives of state institutions, medical doctors and journalists.
“By the teasing campaign that we initiated at the beginning of the year, we tried to make the larger public more aware of a disease which is considered merciless. Nevertheless, if discovered in due time, in vary many cases it can be cured. Information is vital in order to slow prejudice down and to correct the false image about this disease. A periodical checkup and a healthy lifestyle can seriously reduce the risk for developing very serious types of cancer and can also increase chances to heal. Still, in order to do that, we need to know the main symptoms of the disease. “Just like the support of the family, the social reinsertion of those who were diagnosed with cancer is essential for a decent living standard during treatment”, stated Liviu Mandler, the President of the Integrative Medicine Entrepreneurs.
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The need of solidarity
erhaps the most serious threat Romania has been facing these years is the lack of solidarity. I think that a large part of our problems as a country, state or society are caused by this small detail that is of capital importance, due to its consequences: the absence of that spirit of togetherness that defines, after all, the human community. When European nations were formed, in the 19th century and in the beginning of the 20th century, they defined themselves as large human communities which shared the idea of a unitary people, even if they included consistent national minorities in the territories considered to be theirs by various treaties. Unitary means that they were having common ideals, mainly referring to a common language and culture, as well as history, a concept that connects the participants to the national ideal. Solidarity was included in this concept and it is proved by the fact that the social state was created at the same time with many nations. What we have now, as far as the pensions, welfare, subsidies system and other forms of support are concerned, all these resulted from the solidarity entailed by the concept of nation. Maybe Romania did not have enough time for all these to settle down. Perhaps history was too tough here. For the last 20 years, we have seen cases of atomization and extreme individualization, after so many years of artificial communitarianism imposed by the communist regime. Still, I think we paid enough and we need to shatter the patterns
forced upon us by communism. It was somehow natural that, after 50 years of lack of intimacy and individualism, we would dangerously shift into the other extreme. Atomization is not normal and perhaps the best proof is that the most liberal and individualist of societies, such as the American one, are capable of impressive proofs of solidarity. Thus, liberty and individualism, as part of modern democracy, are not incompatible with solidarity. Another proof and incentive for this is that the European Union offered Romania several structural funds for us to access resources and encourage specific feelings and actions of solidarity. Thus, the “Regional Network for the Promotion and Application of Social Economy Concepts, in order to develop the chances of social reinsertion of disabled persons” European Project, co-funded by the European Social Fund, through the Sectorial Operational Program for the Human Resources Development 2007-2013, has this major objective of supporting the social reinsertion of disabled persons. What else can it mean, but the accomplishment of an active solidarity, meant to support those who do not have the same advantages, as anyone else, not because of their own doing? Thus, we have the means and the proper framework to remember solidarity. All we need now is goodwill, as well as to understand that without solidarity we are no longer a nation, but just a populace with no meaning and perspectives! Clement Sava
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We believe in your happiness!
The handless piano player
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he famous show “America got talent” was taken over by many televisions from all over the world, including by our Pro TV, but not only… The Chinese share the same format and the 2010 winner is Liu Wei, a teenager who lost both hands in an accident when he was 10. He was playing hide and seek with his friends when he accidentally touched high-voltage wires. His arms were burnt and doctors had to amputate them. His mother told him to learn to do everything on his own for there will be a day when no one else will come to help. Liu learned to cope with his legs and mouth. He is 23 now. When he was 19, he learned to play the piano on his own, because his childhood dream was to become a musician. He tried to hire a teacher, but he was told that it was impossible for someone to play the piano by pressing the keyboard with one’s toes. Wrong! Liu declared he participated in the contest in order to make his mother proud of him. Liu Wei interpreted a difficult song, “Mariage D’amour”, by Richard Clayderman. The members of the jury were amazed. Some shed tears of emotion and the whole audience was standing…
In the end, Liu Wei talked to the audience and to the tens of millions of viewers: “For people like me, there were only two options. One was to abandon all dreams, which would lead to a quick, hopeless death. The other was to struggle without arms to live an outstanding life.” Andrei Banc
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Cerebral paralysis is a disability no more
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here are certain sports coaches who suffer from cerebral paralysis! These two attributes seem to be incompatible. Wrong! One such example is provided by Frank Kieavy and Nick Gaynor, who proved that recovery can be done for any disability. But this does not only depend on the disabled persons, but on the people who are around them, as well. The University of Villanova, USA, has two volleyball teams: the female and the male team. Their managers are suffering from cerebral paralysis. It is not a case where the players cannot find better managers, but the members of the team wanted to give a chance to the two disabled persons and to send the larger American society a message of equality and integration of those who are apparently excluded ever since they were born. Both boys are unable to walk and can only move in a wheelchair. Nick Gaynor’s father is the Dean of the University’s Entrance Section. Three years ago, he met another family whose son was also paralyzed and could only move around in a wheelchair, just like his son. After talking some more, the two fathers realized that they both got married in 1986 and stayed at the same hotel during their honeymoon, one month apart. It is probable that specific environment factors in that hotel influenced the DNA of the Gaynors and Kieavys unborn children. Their disability is similar, but Nick Kieavy’s condition is worse: he is almost completely paralyzed, not being able to walk, write or read. He communicates with the help of a computer that he uses by touching the keyboard with one finger of the right hand. Both boys spent a lot of time with
the volleyball teams during their high school years and are very familiar with this sport. They also traveled with the team. Kieavy usually watches the recordings of the training sessions and matches in order to assess them, as well as the speed of the players. He is thus able to recommend to the trainer ways to improve the reactions of every single player. At the University, they were adopted by their volleyball teams and got precise, managerial tasks. Nick has his room in the campus and Gaynor is staying at home, but both are treated as any other student. They are on their own and Franck is one of the best students of the year. The volleyball coach says that Franck is also an excellent motivator for the team. (A.B.)
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We believe in your happiness!
A Plead for One’s Family
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zota Popescu is what we can surely call a dreamer. She is a dreamer because, for many years, she has been diligently making families for abandoned children, hoping that the Romanian State, as well as Romanian politicians would finally understand that the right to have a family is holy and it cannot be taken away. She is a dreamer because, by fighting for these abandoned, traumatized children, she fights, in fact against a huge system of political obstinacy and petty interests. Still, apart from this war of attrition, Azota Popescu, the teacher who became President of the Catharsis Association, got results in places where the state and authorities were only careless, incompetent and helpless. The numbers are quite conclusive: 261 children with major health issues – disabled children – benefited from special, very costly, medical investigations, and the Romanian State would have never paid for these children who were abandoned by their natural families. All this and more happened due to Azota Popescu’s efforts, together with Catharsis’s members and
partners: 36 children and youngsters who had very serious medical conditions benefited from surgical interventions in Romania and abroad (England, Italy, Israel, Belgium, Germany and Hungary). Cornelius Popa
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Cyclops in baseball
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n baseball, a pitcher is the player who catches the ball in the large glove designed especially for this sport, after being hit with a bat and flying tens of meters. He then throws it to another team member, in a different part of the field, some 15-20 meters away. This distance throw must be precise. Jordan Underwood was filling this position when an out-of-control ball hit him in the face and pushed his eye out. Three weeks later, while recovering in his Oklahoma home, Jordan tried to pour an artificial sweetener in his tea cup. To his despair, he poured the sweet powder all over the table, except for the cup: with just one eye, he could no longer estimate distances precisely. At the time, it seemed that sport was no longer an option for him: with just one eye, he could not perceive depths, anymore. It was, says Jordan, as if a piano player suffered from Parkinson. But, as you can read in all accounts that appear in our magazine, man’s will is stronger than pessimistic previsions of medical statistic surveys. Two years after having been implanted an artificial acrylic eye, Jordan returned to his pitcher position in the First League of Baseball. As the firstly skeptic experts noticed, this is the exclusive result of his will to get over a state which seemed to be completely negative.
Jordan was encouraged by the oculist who has drawn his artificial eye, Nancy Townsend. She was sure that recovery was possible since… in 1978, after having lost an eye, too, she recovered and started playing softball tournaments, also as a pitcher. “The brain is a wonderful thing” said Nancy. With two eyes, the brain is able to discern a depth in space of circa 6.5 m. Further than that, one eye is enough. No coach of the First Baseball League in the United States of America believed that Jordan would be able to come back into the field and play professionally. None whatsoever! This could encourage any player. Doctors say it is not possible, coaches say the same thing, so that one is left alone to face the general distrust and to have the will not to give up. One should also believe in the brain’s plasticity. As Joan Vickers, a psychology teacher at the Calgary University, says, experiments were made on sportsmen whose eyes were covered by prisms and they were soon able to ride bicycles in the street, despite the fact that everything they saw was upside-down. The brain is endowed with a great deal of plasticity and can adapt to new requirements. Still, we have to help it form new neuronal connections. Andrei Banc
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We believe in your happiness!
A marathon of the will
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erena Burla, a long-distance runner from Saint Louis, went in for a surgical operation that seemed to bring about the end of her sports career. Serena had a synovial sarcoma, a potentially lethal cancer, a tumor that grows and replaces one of the knee’s tendons. Treatment entailed the surgical removal of the biceps muscle of the tendon. The operating surgeon, a specialist in synovial surgery, did not find any similar case in the medical literature available to him and he had not performed such an intervention before. Nevertheless, he made this radical operation and expressed his doubt that Serena would be able to be a performing
sportswoman again. He was wrong! Last November, Serena Burla reached the 19th place in the marathon of New York. Later, in January 2011, she got the second-best time in the American Semi-marathon Championship. Serena is determined to compete at the qualification tournament for the Olympic Marathon, next year. She inherited her passion for running from her father, a cross-country athletism trainer and she first went to a running contest when she was a third grader. Serena was a member of the athletism team based at the University of Missouri, having become the 10.000 m champion in 2006. After graduating, she got married to one of her colleagues and moved to St. Louis. She went through a great deal of shock when she was told she had cancer, but she was able to get over it, as far as the psychological effects are concerned. After the surgery, she went back to training, in stages. Her surgeon was sure Serena would never run again, but he did not take her will into consideration. B.A.
Important addresses: www.paces.ro www.informatiicancer.ro