Friends

26 September 2007: I would give my blood, and more, to Angkor Hospital for Children.

The hospital serves 350 children each day - free of charge. They treat upper respiratory infections, dengue fever, emergencies, surgeries...

Arun Sinketh (Public Relations) gave me the tour - starting with the machine shop run by Va Morgan. I also saw their medical training facility, outreach center, in-patient ward, out-patient ward, IC unit, surgery, laboratory, waiting hall, kitchen...

It's a small facility with only x-ray and ultrasound, but Angkor Hospital for Children provides a great service to all Cambodia. This year they had to face a greater volume of patients with dengue fever - for some reason an outbreak happens every four years, the last in 2003.

I saw a tiny 26 day old child being treated for upper respiratory infection - the most common medical problem of patients at the hospital. Va told me how to wish the child good health in Khmer.

And I donated blood. Turns out my blood type is in high demand - it's even the same type as the nurse who collected my blood.

Afterwards I met up with Mark (British chef and IT) for an afternoon trip to Tonle Sap lake.

The first thing his driver said to me was that I look like a man. (Maybe I am a spy.) I told him to be nice - I gave blood today.

He then thanked me and said that was a very good thing - I could help his daughter. Good, I thought, maybe she would consider me a blood brother.

Image from: jackie