YESTERDAY, PETPOSITIVE was invited to present a talk on our animal-assisted therapy (AAT) mission for the disabled and the elderly.About 15 healthcare workers attended the session, all of them doctors involved in rehabilitation medicine.
It was held at the University Malaya, Faculty of Medicine, Rehabilitation Department in Kuala Lumpur.
Our Society was represented by its President, aNt, the secretary, Fasidah Sabeh, advocate and solicitor Chan Mee Leng who is also one of PETPOSITIVE'S legal advisers.
Last, but certainly not least was our Society's volunteer par excellence, Captain Abdul Karim Stuart Russell.
When the event was all over, the good ol' Capt' wasted no time in sending in his report of yesterday's meeting:
"IT WAS LUNCHTIME ON MONDAY 18 FEBRUARY, 2008.
"OUR MISSION WAS TO RAISE THE AWARENESS OF ALL THE REHAB SPECIALISTS PRESENT ABOUT THE IMMENSE BENEFITS OF AAT.
"MR ANTHONY THANASAYAN SPOKE, AFTER A SHORT INTRODUCTION WAS GIVEN BY DR LEONG BEE KIM WHO IS THE COORDINATOR OF THE WEEKLY TALKS FOR THE DEPARTMENT.
"ANTHONY GAVE AN EXCELLENT OVERVIEW EXPLAINING EXACTLY WHAT AAT IS ALL ABOUT. HE THEN USED PETPOSITIVE INTRODUCTORY LEAFLET IN HIS POWERPOINT PRESENTATION TO EMPHASISE THE POINTS HE HAD MADE.
"LATER TWO VIDEOS WERE SHOWN, THE FIRST ONE REGARDING A SUCCESSFUL PETPOSITIVE AAT PROJECT USING AQUARIUM THERAPY, AND THEN ANOTHER VIDEO SHOWING HOW A SERVICE ANIMAL, IN THIS CASE A DOG, CAN BE AN INVALUABLE COMPANION AND A DEDICATED HELPER FOR A DISABLED PERSON.
"A QUESTION AND ANSWER SESSION FOLLOWED, AND THE DOCTORS FEEDBACK WAS GENERALLY POSITIVE, ALTHOUGH IT WAS ACKNOWLEDGED THAT CERTAIN ENGRAINED POLICIES REGARDING THE PROHIBITION OF ENTRY BY ANIMALS INTO MEDICAL FACILITIES, AND THE NEED TO OVERCOME CERTAIN MISGUIDED STIGMAS ABOUT CANINES.
"IT WAS UNANIMOUSLY AGREED THAT THERE IS STILL MUCH WORK TO BE DONE TO EDUCATE AND SPREAD THE WORD ABOUT THE ENORMOUS BENEFITS OF AAT BOTH IN A CLINICAL AND A HOME ENVIRONMENT.
"IN MANY COUNTRIES ANIMALS ARE USED IN HOSPITALS AND CLINICS, AND PROVIDE EFFECTIVE THERAPY FOR MANY PATIENTS. THE THERAPEUTIC BENEFIT OF ANIMALS HAS BEEN WELL-DOCUMENTED, AND THERE IS NO DOUBT THAT IT WORKS.
"PETPOSITIVE WILL ENDEAVOUR TO MEET THE CHALLENGES AHEAD AND WILL STRIVE TO INFORM, EDUCATE AND EVENTUALLY WIN OVER THE HEARTS AND MINDS OF ALL MALAYSIANS REGARDING THE UNIQUE BENEFITS OF ANIMAL-ASSISTED THERAPY."
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