{Note picture with Marine Lieutenant Colonel Scott Fosdal Class of '88, Commander of 1/7 Marines!}
A few weeks ago, I linked up with Marines serving in Western Iraq to accompany them as they distributed thirteen high-quality pediatric Reach Out and Care Wheelchairs to disabled children in their area of operations. Captain Jordan Barnett, Intelligence Officer for the 1/7 Marines, inherited the project from 1st Lt Gene Ahn (1/3 Marines) who had already distributed twenty seven of the pediatric wheelchairs in mid 2008 before they re-deployed. Capt Barnett graciously contacted me to work out arrangements to get the remaining wheelchairs out to needy disabled kids in his area. We had been discussing plans to make this distribution come to fruition for a number of weeks – what the requirements are for a child to receive a wheelchair, how big or small the children can be, best logistical format for a distribution event and time required to adjust a wheelchair to fit each individual child’s needs, etc. These events take an incredible amount of planning and effort to make happen, given logistics and security concerns in the area. Finally, the show was on the road with a distribution date, and I made my way out to their base of operations late in the night on one hot May evening.
Tim, a friend who lives nearby and works for an information technology organization gave me a ride over to the air base adjacent to Baghdad Airport. I waited for a few hours, and flew by helicopter out to Camp Baharia. The next day, we met with a local leader of an Iraqi Non-Government Organization for Handicapped persons. She said the need in her city is great – although we only had thirteen pediatric ROC Wheelchairs to give away, she was glad to see the Marines and Wheelchairs for Iraqi Kids had teamed up to start helping meet the need.
There’s something unique about giving away pediatric wheelchairs. Disabled adults who can afford them many times have adult wheelchairs, albeit some are in sad states of disrepair with wheels falling off. When we gave away adult wheelchairs in Sadr City and Rusafa areas of Baghdad earlier this year, most showed up already in decent looking wheelchairs – which begged the question, ‘why are they here?’ (many had arrived in borrowed wheelchairs). With disabled kids, they always show up as a passenger in someone’s arms. There is no mobility solution for their small bodies in place here other than dragging themselves on the ground (if they’re able) or being carried. Working to provide these wheelchairs for disabled kids is most rewarding, because they are the ones most in need.
A few days after our initial meeting, nine disabled Iraqi children and their families arrived at the secure distribution site to receive their new wheelchairs. Because of the secure location, we weren’t rushed for time and were able to fit each child into their new wheelchair and train each parent how to adjust them as their child grows. See the text beneath the pictures for more of the story.
Captain Barnett is an extremely busy officer, and I was grateful for all of his professional help and accommodation in having me assist in this distribution. This was a long awaited event, and I’m extremely glad to have worked with the Marines in Western Iraq and hope to be able to do more of the same in the future. Thanks to Captain Barnett, the 1/7 Marines at Camp Baharia and all those who click on my website to donate wheelchairs for these kids. You provided the opportunity to distribute high quality childrens’ wheelchairs to very needy kids and their families.
For those interested in donating, please visit my website and click on the ROC Wheels Iraq donation link. Any amount is welcomed – for the extremely generous, full sponsorships for each wheelchair cost $350 for one child (wheelchairs with similar features retail for $3000-$4000 in the US). Partial sponsorships will be combined with other donations to fund full sponsorships, so every donation helps no matter what the amount!
Brad Blauser
www.WheelchairsForIraqiKids.com
Brad @ WheelchairsForIraqiKids.com
Capt Barnett, Brad and Mark Blackard adjust the first wheelchair to fit the needs of the first child. When asked, the mother told us that when he was an infant, a bomb exploded just outside of their home, collapsing part of the roof. The boy’s crib was crushed and debris fell on him, but he was rescued and his life was saved. He suffers from paralysis, but has almost full mental development.
Adjusting, or ‘fitting’ wheelchairs to the needs of the child involves lifting him/her in and out of the wheelchair multiple times, checking for correct sizing and placement of critical components to support the child so as to not cause harm or injury.
This boy was aware and able, so I trained him on how to work the seat belt and chest strap on his new wheelchair. He was very excited, like a boy who just received his first bicycle!
I showed the boy’s mother how to operate the wheelchair, including the seat recline and tilt-in-space functions.
The fun part was teaching the boy how to push himself along in the wheelchair.
It was as if he was taking his first ‘steps’ on his own without dragging himself on the ground!
I’d like to think the boy was looking at me in admiration, but most likely was wondering what happened to all my hair!
Mark Blackard and DOD Civilian Little
Mark was very interested in WFIK, as he has his own children’s charity in Guatemala where he brings medical doctors down and puts them up in a beachside resort – for FREE – in exchange for services to help local kids who need medical care. He’s working on his website to get the word out to more people on his efforts to help poor kids in Guatemala. Keep watch for Marcos Ninos website to go live at some point in the future.
This boy was aware of his surroundings, but seemed to have no control over his movements. He was scared, and started to cry just as we were taking this picture.
Captain Barnett brought a few stuffed animals for the kids, and this boy literally went from tears to giggles when he saw the stuffed Penguin! I would rub it on his face and make a funny sound, pull it away, and the kid just went crazy laughing. It’s funny how much kids from around the world are so much alike.
A local Iraqi TV News crew attended, and was eager to cover the story. Americans helping their disabled kids isn’t a story they come across just every day. I don’t watch the Arabic news on TV (haven’t quite learned the language yet), so I’m not sure how this turned out! But they were very supportive and offered to help in any way possible in future distributions in the area.
Mark Blackard was very involved with the kids, and was a big help in fitting them into their wheelchairs. We’re hoping he can get some of these Reach Out and Care wheelchairs for his disabled kids in Guatemala.
As we brought this little girl’s wheelchair forward to adjust it for her, suddenly Marines and interpreters jumped toward the wheelchair. I was startled, as I was standing in front of the wheelchair about to put the girl into the chair. They noticed a Camel Spider (yes, like the pictures you’ve seen on the internet) crawl out of the leather bag hanging from the handlebars on the back of the wheelchair. They quickly knocked it to the ground and killed it – and I was glad they found and took care of it before I placed the girl into the wheelchair. I woke up that night multiple times, brushing off imaginary Camel Spiders! Post Traumatic Stress, I guess! But I’m ok now (I think?).
This boy is blind as well as disabled, and has always been carried by his mother. Imagine his fear of living this way – not able to see or walk, but only able to communicate via cries and shouts. And living through a violent time when bombs and gunfire are in the streets just outside your door. When this mother and child came in the room, she was obviously exhausted from carrying him. He quickly became frightened as she sat him in his wheelchair for the fitting process. He cried, and nearly burst our eardrums with his piercing screams. Soon he settled down into his new wheelchair, and was comfortable – his mother was nearby talking to him and he stopped crying long enough to take the picture! So many of these kids have been held all of their lives, and when placed in a strange chair have separation anxiety and start to cry.
This teenage girl was barely able to walk with assistance, as she suffers from spastic uncontrollable movements of her arms, legs and head. To improve her life, she came for a wheelchair so she could get around easier, and go to school for the first time. She was fully cognitive and aware of conversations going on around her (she understood English fairly well). Unfortunately she just didn’t have control of her movements.
Mark Blackard adjusts a boy’s wheelchair as he and his mother look on.
The boy’s back was bowed in and his hips seemed to be locked in place, and he wasn’t able to sit in a chair or in a seated position. His mother was coaxing him, talking softly. She said if he relaxed enough, he would be able to bend his back and hips so we could bring the chair up to the seated position. Watching her work with him, seeing her love, his smile and the awful condition of his twisted body really moved me – I almost had to walk out of the building to dry my allergy stricken eyes.
We were honored to have the 1/7 Marine Commander Lieutenant Colonel Scott Fosdal (Texas Aggie class of ’88, left in picture) and Major Perry (right in picture) stop by and observe. Their support of this mission was key to getting these wheelchairs to a few of the disabled kids of their area. Before I left to return to my home base after the event, Major Perry made a request to receive more wheelchairs. He said helping disabled kids and their families was significantly assisting their mission – something in which they would like to be much more involved.
This boy’s entire family showed up to watch him receive his wheelchair. Because of security and crowd control reasons, only two people were allowed inside with each child (others in the picture are from the NGO). When asked, the boy said he wanted his Grandpa to accompany him. Funny how young boys get a sense of comfort around good-ole’ Gramps! The Marine in front on the right is Captain Barnett, who was somewhat camera shy throughout the event.
This girl was brought in by her mother, who said the daughter was paralyzed and couldn’t move her limbs. As we brought a wheelchair forward from the back of the room, someone noticed the girl move her arms as she sat on her mother’s lap. We stopped and discussed the situation, concerned that the girl may really not have a disability. I decided to pick the girl up and hold her for a few minutes. So I brought the wheelchair near, reached out my hands to pick up the girl from the mother and she allowed me to pick her up. As I placed my hands on her sides to lifter her from her mother’s lap, I could feel a very narrow torso, and my fingers seemed to settle in the spaces between her ribs where healthy muscle should be. It was quickly obvious this girl was extremely thin and frail, which led me to quickly dismiss any doubts regarding her disability. While adjusting her wheelchair, she seemed to handle the experience well, though extremely shy. I noticed some alligator sized tears wellling up in her eyes, then they rolled down her cheeks and she began lightly sobbing. This came out of nowhere – I couldn’t think of anything I or others had done to bring on her tears. For me it’s a fun experience, for these kids it can be quite scary around the strangers speaking a strange language, especially one with a bald head. After her mother comforted her, I lifted her to place her back into the mother’s lap for a moment so I could make adjustments to her wheelchair. When I did, her head snapped back – I was worried I had broken her neck – I felt so bad! She didn’t have the strength to support the weight of her head when moving, though she seemed to have a strong neck when she was sitting up in her mother’s lap. It’s a good thing the Reach Out and Care wheelchair has a soft yet supportive headrest – this girl will benefit greatly from it.
As we progressed along with the distribution, different Marines were able to take time out of their day and drop by to lend a hand. The Marines kneeling in front helped adjust this girl’s wheelchair. The Marine standing directly behind me is Sergeant Dorian Gardner, the Public Affairs representative sent out to cover the story for the Marines news service. His article was just published, and I’m linking to and adding his story under my last picture below. Yes, he knows he’s tall – all 6 foot 7 inches. The lady with the white trim on her clothing is from the local NGO, and watched intently as we adjusted the wheelchairs. As these children grow, she will be available to help the families adjust their wheelchairs for them if necessary.
This teenager is a double (leg) amputee, and has outgrown her prosthetics which she received on a previous trip to the US. So now she will be able to use her wheelchair as her prosthetics become useless for her. I try to involve the troops in these distributions as much as possible. I’ve helped literally hundreds of children into their wheelchairs – most of these soldiers have never had the opportunity to help one. Many find it to be a very humbling and perspective/life changing experience. Even if it doesn’t have such a dramatic effect on them, at least they’ll go home knowing they had a hand in changing the life of disabled kids who never would have otherwise received the help. Lance Corporal Morgan (kneeling in the picture) helped this girl with her wheelchair. As soon as he took a knee next to her for the picture, she squirmed in the chair, giggling and blushing! It’s not often Iraqi teen girls get to hang out with young American Soldiers. Too funny.
Article Link
[This message has been edited by b.blauser (edited 6/4/2009 4:42p).]
A few weeks ago, I linked up with Marines serving in Western Iraq to accompany them as they distributed thirteen high-quality pediatric Reach Out and Care Wheelchairs to disabled children in their area of operations. Captain Jordan Barnett, Intelligence Officer for the 1/7 Marines, inherited the project from 1st Lt Gene Ahn (1/3 Marines) who had already distributed twenty seven of the pediatric wheelchairs in mid 2008 before they re-deployed. Capt Barnett graciously contacted me to work out arrangements to get the remaining wheelchairs out to needy disabled kids in his area. We had been discussing plans to make this distribution come to fruition for a number of weeks – what the requirements are for a child to receive a wheelchair, how big or small the children can be, best logistical format for a distribution event and time required to adjust a wheelchair to fit each individual child’s needs, etc. These events take an incredible amount of planning and effort to make happen, given logistics and security concerns in the area. Finally, the show was on the road with a distribution date, and I made my way out to their base of operations late in the night on one hot May evening.
Tim, a friend who lives nearby and works for an information technology organization gave me a ride over to the air base adjacent to Baghdad Airport. I waited for a few hours, and flew by helicopter out to Camp Baharia. The next day, we met with a local leader of an Iraqi Non-Government Organization for Handicapped persons. She said the need in her city is great – although we only had thirteen pediatric ROC Wheelchairs to give away, she was glad to see the Marines and Wheelchairs for Iraqi Kids had teamed up to start helping meet the need.
There’s something unique about giving away pediatric wheelchairs. Disabled adults who can afford them many times have adult wheelchairs, albeit some are in sad states of disrepair with wheels falling off. When we gave away adult wheelchairs in Sadr City and Rusafa areas of Baghdad earlier this year, most showed up already in decent looking wheelchairs – which begged the question, ‘why are they here?’ (many had arrived in borrowed wheelchairs). With disabled kids, they always show up as a passenger in someone’s arms. There is no mobility solution for their small bodies in place here other than dragging themselves on the ground (if they’re able) or being carried. Working to provide these wheelchairs for disabled kids is most rewarding, because they are the ones most in need.
A few days after our initial meeting, nine disabled Iraqi children and their families arrived at the secure distribution site to receive their new wheelchairs. Because of the secure location, we weren’t rushed for time and were able to fit each child into their new wheelchair and train each parent how to adjust them as their child grows. See the text beneath the pictures for more of the story.
Captain Barnett is an extremely busy officer, and I was grateful for all of his professional help and accommodation in having me assist in this distribution. This was a long awaited event, and I’m extremely glad to have worked with the Marines in Western Iraq and hope to be able to do more of the same in the future. Thanks to Captain Barnett, the 1/7 Marines at Camp Baharia and all those who click on my website to donate wheelchairs for these kids. You provided the opportunity to distribute high quality childrens’ wheelchairs to very needy kids and their families.
For those interested in donating, please visit my website and click on the ROC Wheels Iraq donation link. Any amount is welcomed – for the extremely generous, full sponsorships for each wheelchair cost $350 for one child (wheelchairs with similar features retail for $3000-$4000 in the US). Partial sponsorships will be combined with other donations to fund full sponsorships, so every donation helps no matter what the amount!
Brad Blauser
www.WheelchairsForIraqiKids.com
Brad @ WheelchairsForIraqiKids.com
Capt Barnett, Brad and Mark Blackard adjust the first wheelchair to fit the needs of the first child. When asked, the mother told us that when he was an infant, a bomb exploded just outside of their home, collapsing part of the roof. The boy’s crib was crushed and debris fell on him, but he was rescued and his life was saved. He suffers from paralysis, but has almost full mental development.
Adjusting, or ‘fitting’ wheelchairs to the needs of the child involves lifting him/her in and out of the wheelchair multiple times, checking for correct sizing and placement of critical components to support the child so as to not cause harm or injury.
This boy was aware and able, so I trained him on how to work the seat belt and chest strap on his new wheelchair. He was very excited, like a boy who just received his first bicycle!
I showed the boy’s mother how to operate the wheelchair, including the seat recline and tilt-in-space functions.
The fun part was teaching the boy how to push himself along in the wheelchair.
It was as if he was taking his first ‘steps’ on his own without dragging himself on the ground!
I’d like to think the boy was looking at me in admiration, but most likely was wondering what happened to all my hair!
Mark Blackard and DOD Civilian Little
Mark was very interested in WFIK, as he has his own children’s charity in Guatemala where he brings medical doctors down and puts them up in a beachside resort – for FREE – in exchange for services to help local kids who need medical care. He’s working on his website to get the word out to more people on his efforts to help poor kids in Guatemala. Keep watch for Marcos Ninos website to go live at some point in the future.
This boy was aware of his surroundings, but seemed to have no control over his movements. He was scared, and started to cry just as we were taking this picture.
Captain Barnett brought a few stuffed animals for the kids, and this boy literally went from tears to giggles when he saw the stuffed Penguin! I would rub it on his face and make a funny sound, pull it away, and the kid just went crazy laughing. It’s funny how much kids from around the world are so much alike.
A local Iraqi TV News crew attended, and was eager to cover the story. Americans helping their disabled kids isn’t a story they come across just every day. I don’t watch the Arabic news on TV (haven’t quite learned the language yet), so I’m not sure how this turned out! But they were very supportive and offered to help in any way possible in future distributions in the area.
Mark Blackard was very involved with the kids, and was a big help in fitting them into their wheelchairs. We’re hoping he can get some of these Reach Out and Care wheelchairs for his disabled kids in Guatemala.
As we brought this little girl’s wheelchair forward to adjust it for her, suddenly Marines and interpreters jumped toward the wheelchair. I was startled, as I was standing in front of the wheelchair about to put the girl into the chair. They noticed a Camel Spider (yes, like the pictures you’ve seen on the internet) crawl out of the leather bag hanging from the handlebars on the back of the wheelchair. They quickly knocked it to the ground and killed it – and I was glad they found and took care of it before I placed the girl into the wheelchair. I woke up that night multiple times, brushing off imaginary Camel Spiders! Post Traumatic Stress, I guess! But I’m ok now (I think?).
This boy is blind as well as disabled, and has always been carried by his mother. Imagine his fear of living this way – not able to see or walk, but only able to communicate via cries and shouts. And living through a violent time when bombs and gunfire are in the streets just outside your door. When this mother and child came in the room, she was obviously exhausted from carrying him. He quickly became frightened as she sat him in his wheelchair for the fitting process. He cried, and nearly burst our eardrums with his piercing screams. Soon he settled down into his new wheelchair, and was comfortable – his mother was nearby talking to him and he stopped crying long enough to take the picture! So many of these kids have been held all of their lives, and when placed in a strange chair have separation anxiety and start to cry.
This teenage girl was barely able to walk with assistance, as she suffers from spastic uncontrollable movements of her arms, legs and head. To improve her life, she came for a wheelchair so she could get around easier, and go to school for the first time. She was fully cognitive and aware of conversations going on around her (she understood English fairly well). Unfortunately she just didn’t have control of her movements.
Mark Blackard adjusts a boy’s wheelchair as he and his mother look on.
The boy’s back was bowed in and his hips seemed to be locked in place, and he wasn’t able to sit in a chair or in a seated position. His mother was coaxing him, talking softly. She said if he relaxed enough, he would be able to bend his back and hips so we could bring the chair up to the seated position. Watching her work with him, seeing her love, his smile and the awful condition of his twisted body really moved me – I almost had to walk out of the building to dry my allergy stricken eyes.
We were honored to have the 1/7 Marine Commander Lieutenant Colonel Scott Fosdal (Texas Aggie class of ’88, left in picture) and Major Perry (right in picture) stop by and observe. Their support of this mission was key to getting these wheelchairs to a few of the disabled kids of their area. Before I left to return to my home base after the event, Major Perry made a request to receive more wheelchairs. He said helping disabled kids and their families was significantly assisting their mission – something in which they would like to be much more involved.
This boy’s entire family showed up to watch him receive his wheelchair. Because of security and crowd control reasons, only two people were allowed inside with each child (others in the picture are from the NGO). When asked, the boy said he wanted his Grandpa to accompany him. Funny how young boys get a sense of comfort around good-ole’ Gramps! The Marine in front on the right is Captain Barnett, who was somewhat camera shy throughout the event.
This girl was brought in by her mother, who said the daughter was paralyzed and couldn’t move her limbs. As we brought a wheelchair forward from the back of the room, someone noticed the girl move her arms as she sat on her mother’s lap. We stopped and discussed the situation, concerned that the girl may really not have a disability. I decided to pick the girl up and hold her for a few minutes. So I brought the wheelchair near, reached out my hands to pick up the girl from the mother and she allowed me to pick her up. As I placed my hands on her sides to lifter her from her mother’s lap, I could feel a very narrow torso, and my fingers seemed to settle in the spaces between her ribs where healthy muscle should be. It was quickly obvious this girl was extremely thin and frail, which led me to quickly dismiss any doubts regarding her disability. While adjusting her wheelchair, she seemed to handle the experience well, though extremely shy. I noticed some alligator sized tears wellling up in her eyes, then they rolled down her cheeks and she began lightly sobbing. This came out of nowhere – I couldn’t think of anything I or others had done to bring on her tears. For me it’s a fun experience, for these kids it can be quite scary around the strangers speaking a strange language, especially one with a bald head. After her mother comforted her, I lifted her to place her back into the mother’s lap for a moment so I could make adjustments to her wheelchair. When I did, her head snapped back – I was worried I had broken her neck – I felt so bad! She didn’t have the strength to support the weight of her head when moving, though she seemed to have a strong neck when she was sitting up in her mother’s lap. It’s a good thing the Reach Out and Care wheelchair has a soft yet supportive headrest – this girl will benefit greatly from it.
As we progressed along with the distribution, different Marines were able to take time out of their day and drop by to lend a hand. The Marines kneeling in front helped adjust this girl’s wheelchair. The Marine standing directly behind me is Sergeant Dorian Gardner, the Public Affairs representative sent out to cover the story for the Marines news service. His article was just published, and I’m linking to and adding his story under my last picture below. Yes, he knows he’s tall – all 6 foot 7 inches. The lady with the white trim on her clothing is from the local NGO, and watched intently as we adjusted the wheelchairs. As these children grow, she will be available to help the families adjust their wheelchairs for them if necessary.
This teenager is a double (leg) amputee, and has outgrown her prosthetics which she received on a previous trip to the US. So now she will be able to use her wheelchair as her prosthetics become useless for her. I try to involve the troops in these distributions as much as possible. I’ve helped literally hundreds of children into their wheelchairs – most of these soldiers have never had the opportunity to help one. Many find it to be a very humbling and perspective/life changing experience. Even if it doesn’t have such a dramatic effect on them, at least they’ll go home knowing they had a hand in changing the life of disabled kids who never would have otherwise received the help. Lance Corporal Morgan (kneeling in the picture) helped this girl with her wheelchair. As soon as he took a knee next to her for the picture, she squirmed in the chair, giggling and blushing! It’s not often Iraqi teen girls get to hang out with young American Soldiers. Too funny.
Article Link
quote:
Iraqi social workers team with charity and Marines to get disabled kids rolling
Sgt. Dorian Gardner
KARMAH, Iraq – Iraqi children face many hardships growing up in a country that has seen its share of hard times and strife. With a national medical system trying desperately to meet the needs of its citizens, sometimes outside agencies step in to provide a helping hand.
Such was the case recently when a cooperative effort between Iraqi social workers, charities and the U.S. military brought a ray of hope for a better future to handicapped Iraqi children.
Recently, aboard Camp Baharia, Iraq, a small group of children waited in a small wooden room while next door, contractors put the finishing touches on a collection of orthopedic wheelchairs destined for the children’s’ use.
Since 2005, the non-profit Wheelchairs for Iraqi Kids has been working to provide orthopedic wheelchairs to Iraqi kids in need. With an orthopedic wheelchair’s normal retail price nearing $3,000, many families cannot afford to purchase this important commodity for their children.
Wheelchairs for Iraqi Kids depends solely on donations to operate, and although the organization is non-profit, it does have its benefits, said Brad Blauser, founder of the organization.
“They [the Iraqi people] see a kid get a wheelchair, and it has a multiplying effect of winning the hearts and minds of the Iraqi people, as well as helping the kids,” said Blauser. “Ninety-five percent of these kids have birth defects. They don’t get the health care here that kids in the [United States] receive.”
Because of its design, kids are able to continue utilizing the adjustable wheelchairs as they grow. With a light, sturdy frame and narrow base, the wheelchairs are easy to navigate around traditionally small Iraqi houses and rugged enough to handle rock-strewn dirty roads as easy as paved roadways. Many of the components on the chair are adjustable, to include the foot rest, the chair backing, seat, head rest and vertical stabilizers.
Blauser and his team have given away more than 600 wheelchairs since their program commenced four years ago. Teaming up with social workers in Fallujah, Blauser was able to find a few more candidates who could use a new wheelchair.
Huda Hatim Muhna, a social worker in Fallujah, worked alongside Blauser and Capt. Jordan R. Barnett Barnett, information operations officer for the 1st Battalion, 7th Marines, Regimental Combat Team 6, to ensure a new fleet of wheelchairs found a home.
“All I did was tell her we had some wheelchairs,” said Barnett. “We made it available to them and they made it happen.”
“I am very happy with what the Marines did for us,” said Muhna. “The Marines have offered us another way to help these families.”
Working with 1st Battalion, 7th Marines, as well as 1st Battalion, 3rd Marines, to help children in the eastern Al Anbar province, Muhna and Blauser have been able to help local Iraqi families find a way to allow their children to enjoy life on the go.
Blauser also has a small group working in Basra, a city located in southern Iraq near the borders of Iran and Kuwait, and also works with an orphanage in Baghdad.
As more and more wheelchairs are needed, Blauser is hoping that one day, enough money will come in so that he may place a mass order at a factory in Iraq. With that, they could provide jobs for local residents and a much quicker turn-around time from ordering to manufacturing and delivering, said Blauser.
As he continues to collect donations and make his stops throughout Iraq, Blauser and his team work hard to ensure that the kids of Iraq may live a life outside the walls of their homes. Whether their difficulties stemmed from a disease such as cerebral palsy, spina bifida, or the result of an insurgent attack, handicapped children in Iraq have a brighter future due to charitable organizations, Coalition forces and the Iraqi social service system.
[This message has been edited by b.blauser (edited 6/4/2009 4:42p).]