Anna and I had a privilege to welcome Reeba, Samuel and Judy, friends from CMC Vellore and offer hospitality at our home last week end. We miss having friends visit us. This was therefore a unusually cheerful experience of sharing memories and experiences. I wish it was a longer than just two days.
They came to complete the appreciative appraisal of the Developmental Paediatrics and Child Neurology department in its seventh year at the MOSC Medical College, Kolenchery.
I first met Reeba, a psychologist trained at the the Women's Christian College, Chennai when she joined the Developmental Paediatrics unit, CMC Vellore in 1998. She along with her friend Susan became companions to Annie, another psychologist, who accompanied us to CMC Vellore, when ASHIRVAD relocated its Child Development Centre at CMC Vellore to start the Developmental paediatrics in partnership with CMC. Reeba since then stayed on in the Developmental Paediatrics Unit at Vellore. Reeba recently received her PhD in Developmental Psychology. During those years at the Developmental Paediatrics Unit at CMC Vellore, till I retired in 2008 I found Reeba as a psychologist with insights, thoughtfulness, and child and family centred in her approach. She since then has grown to lead a team of five psychologists and offer support to the rest of the team in Developmental Paediatrics Unit at CMC by her caring and affirming involvement. She is academic and research savvy and is an eloquent communicator. Her research on 'School Readiness' for her PhD thesis with which I was associated, is a path breaking work with original contribution to define the domains to look for, in pre-school children to decide if they are ready for starting school. Her contribution by being a member of the Ida Scudder School management committee helps the school to look at curriculum and assessment process to make children experience learning easier and comfortable. In fact Reeba is emerging as a leader in the discipline of Developmental psychology because of her long years of experience in clinical work in promoting child development, leading the formation of other psychologists and skills in research. She does all of these gracefully, affirming and upbuilding others.
Samuel, a Paediatrician by training joined the Developmental Paediatrics Unit, CMC Vellore in 2005 and completed the post doctoral Fellowship programme in Developmental Paediatrics, is currently a professor. He along with Dr Beena and Dr Rupa belonged to the first batch of trainees in Developmental Paediatrics in India. Dr Beena heads the Developmental Paediatrics Unit at CMC Vellore and and Dr Rupa works in UMEED, Bombay as a Developmental Paediatrician. Knowing that I would have to retire from CMC in 2008, I began my search for a team of professionals who would take leadership in this specialty. Dr Maya who worked in the department moved on to pursue Child Neurology. Dr Nisha left the department following her marriage to relocate at Chennai. This made me to look far and wide for at least three paediatricians to join the department whom I could equip them, with hands on experience in taking responsibility for the department. I was guided to three people who were working in mission hospitals. Samuel was one of them, who was at the Christian Fellowship Hospital at Ambilikkai. I remember visiting him a few times and introducing him to the specialty of Developmental Paediatrics by sending him a copy of the British journal of Developmental Medicine and Child Neurology. Samuel was at that time considering to go to Australia for further training. I was almost losing hope in his interest to consider the option of specialising in Developmental Paediatrics, when he surprised me by saying that he was ready to embark on a journey in Developmental paediatrics. Samuel is a thinker, keen researcher and an effective communicator. He is collaborative and affirms others and their roles. His thesis for PhD with which I was associated, on 'Follow up High Risk Infants' is a masterpiece in clarifying the domains of neuro-developmental process which need observation during developmental monitoring. Samuel is creative and significantly concerned about childhood formation. His desire to home school his children came out of his understanding the need to help children learn at their pace and make learning a pleasure for them. He is an enabler and communicator with enormous dedication and interest in helping others develop their skills and vocation. I find in him steadfastness to make developmental paediatrics an academic specialty that young paediatricians would choose as a specialty. I feel impressed by his reading habits and the fund of information he carries with him.
Judy currently Professor in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at CMC Vellore is another person of considerable significance in the field of rehabilitation of children. I met her when she came for her peripheral posting for month to Developmental Paediatrics, while undergoing her post graduate triningin in Physical Medicine at CMC Vellore. I found her child friendly, caring and outgoing to support families who needed emotional support. I remember one conversation with her about the need of specialists in childhood rehabilitation and persuading her to keep this area of focus in the later years. I am glad that Judy specialised in childhood rehabilitation and is currently responsible for this in CMC Vellore. In fact a ward exclusively for children was dedicated recently in the Institute of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at CMC Vellore. As the Vice-Principal of Allied Health Sciences at CMC Vellore Judy has been able to bring much encouragement to trainees and professionals and highlight the social role they play in the lives of differently able people. Judy is a member of of the board of trustees of ASHIRVAD, which has given Anna and and I many opportunities to know her and her family at personal level. Her husband, Dr Kenny, professor of Orthopaedics specialised in spine surgery and a former associate director of CMC Vellore is someone whom I got to know personally during my association with the governing board of CMC. Judy came to visit us on our invitation to conduct the appreciative appraisal of the Developmental Paediatrics and Child Neurology along with Reeba and Samuel, although one of her sons was in the midst of his school leaving examination. Judy is a gentle and upbuilding leader and a role model for young professionals.
I sensed some anxiety within my colleagues when Reeba, Samuel and Judy arrived for conduction get appreciative appraisal. We had prepared for this about six months with an internal exercise of auditing our services and activities and making a presentation to the management about the possible direction we could take in the next three years. For three weeks prior to their arrival, we did organise ourselves with gathering all the information which might be needed for an external evaluation. I found this participatory and interactive exercise valuable in many ways, particularly in helping my colleagues to think about change in leadership as I have now retired officially. I feel delighted by the way the team in the department has evolved to be coherent and collaborative and is a team of equals creating space for every one to grow to be creative.
I feel grateful in the way the visiting friends took time to go through the activities of the Child Development Centre, Early Learning Centre, Learning Resource Centre, Transition Planning Centre and the Family Life Centre. We ourselves felt surprised by the different activities which evolved in response to meeting the needs over the last six years.
I feel grateful in the way the visiting friends took time to go through the activities of the Child Development Centre, Early Learning Centre, Learning Resource Centre, Transition Planning Centre and the Family Life Centre. We ourselves felt surprised by the different activities which evolved in response to meeting the needs over the last six years.
So during the exercise of the external team interviewing each member of the team, there was an experience of affirmation of the valuable service each person is rendering. The de-briefing session revealed that the visit of the team form CMC timely and refreshing.
One challenge before the department left by the visiting team was to think about being involved in tinning other professionals, and offering academic leadership in this discipline in this region. Although this has been a recurrent theme in our own conversations for at least three years, the frequent arrivals and departures of professional in the team did stifle the progress in this direction. I wish I was more pro-active to design a training programme to introduce developmental paediatrics to some paediatricians.
I want to remember friends and colleagues who supported the department during the last seven years. One friend Dr Rejit, an Orthopaedic specialist was a resident when we started the department in 2012 at MOSC Medical College. He is now back in the college after his truing. We happened to meet in the corridor. It was a timely reminder of all that Rejit did to make us feel connected with MOSC Medical college. On evening in the first month at MOSC, I was greeted by Rejit in the corridor while I was about to leave the hospital in the evening. He introduced himself and returned to meet Anna and me on several occasions. It was he who suggested that the department organise a badminton tournament for faculty and students to get more integrated with the community as a department. He organised the first of the four such tournaments we had so far and helped us in conducting our anniversary meetings. Rejit is effusive, outgoing and thoughtful. Anna and I look forward to see more of him and his family. Thank you Rejit for being a friend of the department and helping us to feel connected with the institution through the support you provided.
Let me greet Reeba, Samuel and Judy by sending you this flower from our garden. The roses in our garden blossom although we do not take any great care of them. It is a symbol of how with little attention we can make a difference in the lives of others. Their visit was one such occasion when their presence brought immense encouragement to all of us. I feel grateful
I share this Rose with others like Rejit who have reached out to us. Let me remember all former colleagues who are different places and send greetings of love for what you contributed during your time in the department. You have touched us and we have grown !
Looking back to thirty five years since ASHIRVAD Christian Concern for Child Care began its mission in 1983, there is a delightful story of having facilitated the Child Development Centre at Chennai which got incorporated to form the Developmental Paediatrics Unit at CMC Vellore, the ASHA school for children with special needs at St Andrew's Church at Chennai, the AHIRVAD Early Learning Centre at Nagpur and now the Department of Developmental paediatrics and Child Neurology at MOSC Medical College, Kolenchery, I feel moved by the widening horizon of a small beginning.
I feel grateful to the board of trustees of ASHIRVAD since then who have walked the path of exploration with us in a caring way. I remember late Dr A.K.Tharien who was the first Chairman, late Mr Devadawson, the bar-at-law who drafted the trust deed, Mr Alexander who has been the auditor since 1983 and some Friends of ASHIRVAD, who accompanied us in this journey and trusted us all along. Some friends who are special with whom we are in touch with now are Ms. Giselea, Jahner Berlin, Dr and Mrs Frank Garlick, Brisbane and Mr Arthur Pont, Sussex, who have been generous with their good will and trustful association with us.
What is most fulfilling is that there are outstanding leadership at the all the facilities that ASHIRVAD was associated with at Chennai, Vellore and Nagpur.
Now it is the opportune time to leave the responsibilities of the department of Developmental Paediatrics and Child Neurology to others, by June 2020, all being well.
This prospects gives me freedom to move on to summarise life and all that have been part of our lives thus far.
I found this pair of tree pie birds in the tall teak tree opposite our main door quietly perched, hidden and taking in the earl morning sun! This sight brought to me a message of hope as Anna and I go through the process of looking into the future. Anna and and I have been married for forty three years. The birds are secure on a branch and protected by its foliage. This is a symbol of the security and protection we experienced in our lives in this journey of pilgrimage after God!
Looking back to thirty five years since ASHIRVAD Christian Concern for Child Care began its mission in 1983, there is a delightful story of having facilitated the Child Development Centre at Chennai which got incorporated to form the Developmental Paediatrics Unit at CMC Vellore, the ASHA school for children with special needs at St Andrew's Church at Chennai, the AHIRVAD Early Learning Centre at Nagpur and now the Department of Developmental paediatrics and Child Neurology at MOSC Medical College, Kolenchery, I feel moved by the widening horizon of a small beginning.
I feel grateful to the board of trustees of ASHIRVAD since then who have walked the path of exploration with us in a caring way. I remember late Dr A.K.Tharien who was the first Chairman, late Mr Devadawson, the bar-at-law who drafted the trust deed, Mr Alexander who has been the auditor since 1983 and some Friends of ASHIRVAD, who accompanied us in this journey and trusted us all along. Some friends who are special with whom we are in touch with now are Ms. Giselea, Jahner Berlin, Dr and Mrs Frank Garlick, Brisbane and Mr Arthur Pont, Sussex, who have been generous with their good will and trustful association with us.
What is most fulfilling is that there are outstanding leadership at the all the facilities that ASHIRVAD was associated with at Chennai, Vellore and Nagpur.
Now it is the opportune time to leave the responsibilities of the department of Developmental Paediatrics and Child Neurology to others, by June 2020, all being well.
This prospects gives me freedom to move on to summarise life and all that have been part of our lives thus far.
I found this pair of tree pie birds in the tall teak tree opposite our main door quietly perched, hidden and taking in the earl morning sun! This sight brought to me a message of hope as Anna and I go through the process of looking into the future. Anna and and I have been married for forty three years. The birds are secure on a branch and protected by its foliage. This is a symbol of the security and protection we experienced in our lives in this journey of pilgrimage after God!
M.C.Mathew(text and photo)
No comments:
Post a Comment