When Ladie first started working with us at Advanced Vitality in the fall of 2014 we knew we had hired a great Registered Massage Therapist, what we didn't know was just how much she cares for everyone around her. She truly is a selfless individual that loves sharing her knowledge and empowering others to be great.
Today we are excited and proud to share with you Ladie's upcoming journey to the Philippines. This journey will take her across 5 different provinces, over a 23 day period, from December 1, 2019 through to December 23rd, 2019. There she will be providing nurturing touch therapy techniques and education to children and their families, as well as local health care providers. This is truly a selfless act as Ladie will be giving up a full month of wages while taking on significant expenses, with the sole purpose of giving back to those that have so little.
If you would like to help contribute to Ladie's journey, we encourage you to visit her Go Fund Me Page:
Every little bit helps...
Ladie's Go fund me page
What is the Money for? What is the Goal?
For this trip, Ladie is required to raise $3900 USD (Approx. $5,130) plus her air fare cost of roughly $1900 CAD. This amount will cover food, accommodations and the intra country travel expenses. Ladie will be visiting 5 different provinces in the Philippines that are all relatively far from each other. Some of the places, like cebu, will require airfare to and from manila. Camotes island is considered to be a remote area and will require travel via motorized mini boat from the mainland. These methods of transportation in the Philippines are costly, especially when travelling in large groups. Additionally, Ladie will also require this funding to print out educational materials for the many communities / individuals she will be working with. Any money that remains upon completion of the mission will be used by the LiddleKidz Foundation for medical and therapeutic equipment at various local Philippine facilities.
Ladie's Story
As many of our clinic members already know , working with children is something that Ladie Ramos is very passionate about. Ladie was born and raised in Manila Philippines, so she understands firsthand the hardships many young kids face growing up in a country with limited resources for future growth as an individual. Therefore, when Liddle Kidz Foundation announced earlier this year that they were in search for volunteers to provide nurturing touch to the vulnerable kids of the Philippines, Ladie didn't give it a second thought and applied immediately with the hope that she could give back to those that need it most.
The day Ladie was selected as one of the international Global ambassador's for this mission to the Philippines, the smile she had on her face when she told us all in the clinic quickly conveyed her joy. To be selected as one of the 30 individuals worldwide, when more than 4,200 applied, is frankly something to be proud of.
When and Where is this Taking Place?
From December 1-23 of 2019, Ladie and the rest of the LiddleKidz team of healthcare professionals will travel to Cebu City, Camotes Island, Mactan, Manila, Batangas, and Tiaong in the Philippines to provide nurturing touch therapy to infants and children. Additionally, the team will be educating and training local healthcare providers and families at medical clinics for special needs, hospitals, orphanages and social welfare societies. One of the primary goals of the mission, which is close to Ladie's heart, is to impart evidence-informed pediatric massage therapy skills and techniques with the goal of generating sustainable local change.
Why is this “Mission” Significant to Ladie?
Growing up in the Philippines, Ladie was exposed to massage and various other forms of “alternative/natural healing” treatments, all while not knowing the difference between safe and harmful treatment techniques. Ladie's goal in this trip is to educate as many individuals as possible and empower them with the skills and knowledge to provide safe treatment techniques, as well as the ability to understand when such techniques won't suffice and the need for medical care is necessary. Additionally, Ladie's journey from an impoverished child in Manila to a skilled professional in Canada has her longing to give back in ways that she has previously not had the opportunity to do so.
A Different Point of View...
Due to the geography of the Philippines, it is very challenging for the locals to access government programs. Some of them have to travel over mountains, cross rivers or take a boat to the mainland just to get medical support. Most of them therefore choose to “ignore” the problem. Poverty, which is prevalent in the Philippines, also contributes to the lack of personal health care. These are just a couple of the reasons why Ladie and her fellow ambassadors will travel to them instead. In doing so, they will visit the remote areas/islands, vulnerable sectors and orphanages to help in preventing the inevitable. During clinic outreaches, they will welcome children as young as newborns and as old as 18, with a particular focus on providing care for children with specialized healthcare needs. At these clinics, Global Ambassadors can easily assess and treat the children, all while educating the children’s caregivers and local health care practitioners. This approach will help build sustainable change by empowering the caregivers to continue with therapy at home.
The Global Ambassadors are committed to furthering the development of touch therapy services for vulnerable and underserved populations internationally. Through education and support they work to create replicable and sustainable change.
This is a return visit for the LiddleKidz foundation to the Philippines. In 2016 they visited Davao, Cebu and Manila to provide care to thousands of children. A previously published documentary of their work can be viewed by clicking here.
What does Ladie Hope to Gain from this Experience that she can bring back and use in the Community?
A quote from Ladie:
"Being part of the global ambassadors also means that you will part of a wonderful group of people who come together from different parts of the world. This means that they come from different countries and have different cultures and practices that I can learn from to better understand my patients’ cultures, norms and beliefs. This can have a beneficial effect since working in southern Ontario is one of the most multicultural areas in Canada. Additionally, the ambassadors also have different practice backgrounds. Some are retired nurses, occupational therapists, physical therapists, massage therapists, child life workers and other healthcare providers, which means that they possess an array of techniques, the latest research and modalities that I can learn from to apply to my personal practice. This opportunity will also help me with my personal growth both as a person and as a massage therapist. I am hoping that this trip will help me be more confident with my craft. The kids that I will have an interaction with on this mission will provide me with a new perspective that I see will help me sympathize with patients back home in new ways and with an open eyes."
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