A Speaker No Show & Rotary Research Instead

 When a speaker doesn't show up with no explanation and no subsequent apology it's infuriating.

Instead a little research by myself and Andrew Paschalides.  It was initiated by Andrew as he had heard of Luso Africa Restaurant Mundo Portugues at the Portuguese Sports Club in Walnut Avenue, Primrose via his neighbour.

It was pleasant, slightly spartan but the food was excellent and well priced.  We both had calamari which so often is tough and overcooked  but it was perfect.  A generous plateful for R100.  What was extraordinary was the wine list.  We had a 2019 Periquita which is a very worthwhile standard Portuguese red wine, a blend of three Portuguese cultivars which we don't grow here at all.  It was R120, less than Nederburg Rose!

I have been receiving their daily specials that are really interesting and have appeal to me.  

Plate of the Day / Prato do Dia

🍵Sopa  - Caldo verde @R25.00/Kale soup @R25.00.

🍽️Carne de porco á Alentejana @R140.00 /Pork & clam meat served with cubed fried chips @ R140.00

🍽️Feijoada de chocos @R110.00/Cuttlefish bean stew@R110.00

We thought it would be worthwhile for a Saturday Social Rotary Lunch.

This Week

It should be an interesting report back to the club as there has been a strategic planning meeting and then a board meeting which should really indicate the way that President Ron Smith hopes his year will pan out.  It was decided that we would replace the mid month speaker meeting with a general discussion meeting that would major on a couple of projects and possible new ones as the experimental one we had early this month was such a success.  If it becomes irrelevant than it will obviously revert to a speaker meeting.

The Promise of Kangaroo Mother Care

By Kristi Eaton

At birth, a baby kangaroo climbs into its mother's pouch, latches onto a nipple, and stays put until it is more fully developed. Now imagine if you could do something similar for a human baby who is born prematurely. That's the concept behind a low-tech intervention known as kangaroo mother care.

"Kangaroo mother care involves skin-to-skin care with the mother or with another family member: The father, grandmother, aunts and uncles, and brothers and sisters have all done it," says Doug McMillan, a member of the Rotary Club of Calgary, Alberta, and a neonatologist experienced in global child health. Mothers get support to breastfeed exclusively, and if someone else is helping with the kangaroo care, the baby is fed stored breast milk.

The method was developed more than four decades ago in Colombia, when physician researchers Edgar Rey Sanabria and Héctor Martínez-Gómez were looking for a way to keep babies warm and with their mothers because their hospital didn't have incubators for low birthweight newborns. The death rate for low birth-weight infants at their hospital was 70 percent at the time.

 Since then, multiple studies have shown kangaroo mother care saves newborn lives: It maintains better temperature, improves nutrition and growth, decreases infection, and enhances the bonding between the mother and the baby, explains McMillan, a member of The Rotary Foundation Cadre of Technical Advisers. It has benefits for mothers too, reducing postpartum depression and enhancing their perceived ability to care for their newborns.

But while child mortality has otherwise declined dramatically, 1.6 million premature or low birth-weight babies die every year in their first month, according to the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. More than 75 percent of deaths of premature babies are preventable using current knowledge and basic clinical care.

In Uganda, the neonatal mortality rate is about 19 per 1,000 live births. In recent years at Mbarara Regional Referral Hospital, southwest of the capital of Kampala, about 200 babies admitted to the neonatal unit died each year. About 70 percent were preterm. The two major causes of death were hypothermia, as infants born early are often too small to keep themselves warm, and infections — two conditions complicated by malnutrition.

That's where Rotarians stepped in. The Rotary clubs of Mbarara, Uganda, and Calgary at Stampede Park, Alberta, applied for a Rotary Foundation global grant to upgrade the kangaroo care program at the hospital.

Through the project, which began in late 2020, more than 40 nurses, midwives, pediatricians, and other doctors have been trained in kangaroo care. The project has also supported the development of a curriculum for health care workers to use to teach mothers how to do kangaroo care. The curriculum has been translated into the local language and printed, and mothers are now able to train other mothers on the method.

Women made 500 kangaroo mother care wraps as part of the project, generating income in the area. The wraps are easier to use and better accepted than the kangas, or pieces of cloth, mothers may have used earlier to carry around their babies, says McMillan, who has been volunteering in Mbarara for over 20 years. Meanwhile, Rotarians were able to secure meals for mothers who needed food, which has improved breastfeeding and reduced the rate of women leaving hospital care early.

In addition, the grant helped fund improvements in the newborn unit. Before the grant, in January 2020, the unit had just one thermometer and lacked other equipment. At least two babies would share a cot, often with a torn mattress, increasing the risk of spreading infections. The newborn unit now has the equipment to treat sick babies, more bed space, and chairs to sit on, explains Sheila Abaasa, past president of the Rotary Club of Mbarara.

Irish Wolfhounds

Last week Glen Harvey put together an international programme on Irish Wolfhounds.  He and his wife, Lyn are breeders in Midrand but the speakers included Tony Dunne, Chairman of the Irish Wolfhound Club of Ireland and Vice Chairman of the  Federation of Irishwolfhound Clubs as well as Genevieve Gaeng, a breeder in Belgium and the author of a book on the breed.

Tony Dunne gave us a brief history of the breed from its first written mention when in  AD 391 the Roman Consul, Quintus Aurelius Symmachus received seven dogs as a gift to be used to fight lions and bears in the arena in Rome.  He writes that "All Rome viewed them with wonder".

He took us through to the near extinction of the breed during the 19th century Irish Potato Famine and its subsequent revival and the establishment of of the Irish Society in 1908.

Genevieve Gaeng just really enjoyed being there and her book, Irish Whispers, is available. You should
speak to Glen Harvey if you are interested.

A very interesting part of the evening was a talk on dog food by Paolo de Resende who not only has studied dog foods but has also produced a highly nutritious dry product at a competitive price, VSN Dog Foods. Glen Harvey got to know him as he had a dog with health problems and Paolo's food suggestion helped enormously.

Another participant was Julia Scott Lawson, Honorary Secretary and Founder Member of the Irish Wolfhound Club of Gauteng which was established in 1982 when a group of owners got together and decided to establish a club.

It was all round a very different evening. 

The evening also saw the induction of our latest member, Wandisile Nkwalase.  

Wandisile is a pharmacist and an international marathon runner.  He has established a business to assist others who wish to run international marathons as the more who can go the cheaper it becomes for individuals.

He provides all the assistance and information that you may require and it could become a condition that an incoming new president would need to participate in at least one marathon.  A higher qualification would be necessary for incoming District Governors.

This Week:

Training Unemployed Youth in the Automotive Industry

Regan Slaughter is our guest speaker this week.  He has his own business in the tyre industry, Natural Rubber which provides training and handles specific projects within the industry.  He was previously a Senior Trainer with Bridgestone.  It will be interesting to hear how he became involved with training unemployed youth, how this has developed and what percentage of his trainees are successful and stay in the industry.

As Gordon McInally assumes the RI presidency, we look back at Rotary’s early history in Scotland

Scotland has important ties to the history of Rotary International. The British Association of Rotary Clubs, which eventually became Rotary International in Great Britain and Ireland, set up its original headquarters in Edinburgh in 1914. Seven years later, Edinburgh became the first city outside the United States to host a Rotary Convention. The city was also the birthplace of Jean Thomson Harris, the wife of Rotary founder Paul Harris, and the couple witnessed the organization’s growth in Scotland over several visits.

The enthusiasm and missionary zeal of Irish American Rotarian William Stuart Morrow set the course for Rotary’s development in Scotland. Morrow helped form numerous clubs in Great Britain and Ireland, including the first two in Scotland, the Rotary clubs of Glasgow (chartered April 1913) and Edinburgh (May 1913).

Another pioneer was Scottish pharmacist Tom Stephenson. As charter secretary of the Edinburgh club, Stephenson emphatically directed Rotarians to forget the “business-boosting” aspect of club membership and instead focus their efforts on useful civic service. After the club’s charter president, R.W. Pentland, was elected to the RI Board of Directors at the 1913 Rotary Convention in Buffalo, New York, he and Stephenson encouraged other clubs in Great Britain and Ireland to form the British Association of Rotary Clubs.

The association officially came into being in May 1914. Stephenson became its honorary secretary and set up its headquarters in Edinburgh. Even after the headquarters moved to London in 1921, Stephenson remained involved. He was 1927-28 president of the group, which by then had changed its name to Rotary International — Association for Great Britain and Ireland, before he served on the RI Board of Directors in 1928-29.

In June 1921, Edinburgh welcomed 2,500 attendees to the 12th annual Rotary International Convention, the first held away from the country where the organization was founded. The ocean liners Cameronia and Caronia, full of Rotarians and their wives, crossed the Atlantic from North America. It was at this convention that Rotary amended its constitution to include the goal “to aid in the advancement of international peace and goodwill through a fellowship of business and professional men of all nations united in the Rotary ideal of service.” Summing up the event’s success, 1920-21 RI President Estes Snedecor told delegates: “This convention is Rotary’s greatest opportunity. It gives promise of being Rotary’s greatest achievement.”

Although serious business was accomplished, fun and friendship were also on order. Convention festivities culminated with a grand parade through Edinburgh’s streets. Participants included Rotarians and their wives, as well as Edinburgh’s lord provost, magistrates, and councilors, resplendent in their robes of office. One highlight for many of the American visitors was sailing down the River Clyde with the Rotary Club of Glasgow, led by its most famous member, entertainer Sir Harry Lauder. Another was the offer of “home hospitality” by Stephenson and members of the Rotary Club of Edinburgh to visiting Rotarians, a tradition that remains a popular feature of the conventions.

Last Week's Talk - Richard Moloney of Moloney Medtech on Cervical Cancer

 Richard Moloney gave us an interesting talk on Cervical Cancer and how it could be treated and was treated in South Africa and also in Malawi.  He contrasted the two countries in that when diagnosed in Malawi it could be treated by the mobile unit instantly where as in South Africa the prospective patient was told that she had to go to a hospital and if she was in a rural area this was almost impossible in many cases.

Cervical cancer is caused by the sexually transmitted human papillomavirus (MPV) which is the most common viral infection of the reproductive tract.

It affects younger age groups as a result of early sexual activity, multiple sexual partners, and exposure to other sexually transmitted infections such as HIV.
There are more than 100 types of HPV, of which at least 13 are cancer-causing. Two types of HPV cause 70% of all cervical cancer. Most sexually active men and women will be infected at some point in their lives with HPV – some may be repeatedly infected.

AHO estimates HPV infections cause approximately 72 000 cases of cervical cancer each year in Africa. However, these figures most likely represent a conservative estimate due to the health challenges in health information systems and cancer registries in Africa.

Cervical cancer is a preventable disease. Yet it is the most common cause of cancer in the African Region where it accounts for 22% of all female cancers and 12% of all newly diagnosed cancer in both men and women every year. In Africa, 34 out of every 100 000 women are diagnosed with cervical cancer and 23 out of every 100 000 women die from cervical cancer every year.

This figure compares with 7 out of every 100 000 women being diagnosed with cervical cancer and 3 out of every 100 000 women dying of the disease every year in North America. In Africa, most of these women are diagnosed at advanced stage of cancer which is associated with poor outcomes.

Richard broached the possibility of the Club establishing a pilot project within our area to see if a quick response to a diagnosis would be a treatable option which, with his help, the club will investigate.

       Christmas in July at Gerald Fitzpatrick Old Age Home

 

A group of Rotarians and wives under the direction of Ron McCormick and Andrew Stevenson served a hearty Christmas lunch to the ladies of Gerald Fitzpatrick Home last Saturday.  This has been a tradition of the club for many years but was interrupted by the Covid pandemic.  It's a much appreciated event by the ladies and also the staff.

President Ron Smith opened the proceedings with a short welcome and with Grace before the meal.   

As always there was more than enough food for everyone with a main course of chicken, gammon, rice, roast potatoes, creamed spinach and carrots followed by a special Christmas Cake.

The food was served to ladies you can see in the hall but those in frail care were also catered for.

There was music and entertainment and a good time was had by all.  

Next Week

Our Guest speaker will be Glen Harvey on Irish Wolf Hounds.  Here he is with Glengarrif Gandalf.

He and his wife are breeders and it seems that this will be quite an international event as a number
of breeders overseas wish hear what he has to say and no doubt participate so our meeting will be an extended one.

Cause Based Rotary Clubs

By Dinah Eng

Over the years, whenever Maribel Khoury-Shaar’s Rotarian husband suggested she join Rotary, the busy doctor declined. But when she learned that a Rotary club dedicated to mental health and wellness was forming, she jumped on board.

It came at just the right time for the primary care physician. After the pandemic started, most of her patients were anxious and depressed, and she was getting burnt out as a health care provider. “This club reinvigorated my life because I was around like-minded people who wanted to do the right thing,” says Khoury-Shaar, president of the Rotary Club of Mental Health & Wellness in District 5280, which covers parts of Los Angeles County in California. The club meets online and welcomes members to join from anywhere in the world. Its current members include professionals in the mental health field and others who hold the issue close to their hearts.

The club, chartered last May during Mental Health Awareness Month in the U.S., is one of the first cause-based Rotary clubs to focus on mental health and wellness and was the idea of Guity Javid, the 2021-22 governor of District 5280. It’s one of a growing number of cause-based clubs around the world.

 Its members include (top row, from left): Judith Verduzco and Maribel Khoury-Shaar; and (bottom row, from left): Guity Javid and Marisol Chianello.

The year before Javid's term, the district had already chartered one cause-based club, District 5280 Rotarians Fighting Human Trafficking. Javid identified three other causes that were personal priorities and helped launch these clubs: Mental Health & Wellness, Rotarians for Environmental Action, and Rotarians in Service for Equality (R.I.S.E.), which focuses on LGBTQ+ concerns.

Mental health and especially the issues of depression, anxiety, and suicide have caught the attention of Rotarians worldwide. In addition to the new club, there is a Rotary Action Group on Mental Health Initiatives as well as a partnership between Rotary International in Great Britain and Ireland and the nonprofit Bipolar UK.