History

LFSC is a worldwide humanitarian program whose aim is to spread the culture of “stoma care”. It is an “operational service” created to teach doctors, nurses and health authorities to change their attitudes regarding stoma patients.

Excluding the West, there is a lot of indifference among public opinion and in governments. Even the media are hardly interested in highlighting these issues because they do not make news and the stoma is still seen as a dirty thing of which we are ashamed and which must be kept hidden. LFSC aims to bring this “silent suffering” to light and to help the ostomates of  needy Nations to regain self-confidence and the awareness that they can live a normal life.

The “LFSC service” is not an improvised initiative! It  derives from the long work experience and social commitment of  Prof. Carlo Pezcoller (founding member of the Lions Club “Modena Wiligelmo”, MJF 2004-05), colorectal surgeon at the Policlinic  University  Hospital of Modena-Italy, who since 1983 has taken an active interest  in the problems of ostomates.

The “Lions For Stoma Care” Project  was born in 1999 in the Lions Club “Modena Wiligelmo” District 108Tb-Italy with the help of the following Clubs: Modena Host, Carpi  Alberto Pio,  Carpi Host, Pavullo,  Vignola Castelli Medioevali, Leo Club Vignola e Dominii  Estensi, Finale Emilia, Cento , Bardi Valceno , Parma Maria Luigia.

In the year 2002-03 it was ” District Service ” of  District 108 Tb-Italy, and in the years 2006, 2007 and 2015 it obtained from the Lions Clubs International Foundation (LCIF) three contributions of  US$ 10,000 each for the development of  the project in India, in South America and in Sri Lanka.

In 2007 the Project was financed by the Lions Clubs of  District 108 TB – Italy, thanks to the sale of a prestigious collector’s calendar, whose photos had been generously contributed by the famous international photographer Franco Fontana.

From 2011 the  LFSC service has been adopted by the Lions Circumscription  of  Modena and Province , which includes 15 Lions Clubs and 3 Leo Clubs.

Year 1999

September (15-18)
Prof. Carlo Pezcoller participated in the 5th Congress of the AOA (Asian Ostomy Association) on the island of Penang (Malaysia). On that occasion, he exposed to Datò John Cardosa, President of the AOA, his idea to involve the Lions, which is the largest social-humanitarian organization in the World,  to help the ostomates of poor countries. He immediately supported the project and we decided to start this new experience with the most in need  countries of Asia.

The idea was  submitted and approved by the shareholders of the L.C. Modena Wiligelmo, with the involvement of other Clubs of District 108Tb-Italy. It was formed  an international team of teachers: International Traveling Teaching Team (ITTT) who travels in various countries to teach the “stoma care”.

Year 2000

June (2-9)
At the University Hospital of Modena, we organized the first course which was attended by two doctors from  Indonesia (Dr. Benny Philippi and Dr. Dieta  Parengkuan) and 2 doctors from Pakistan (Prof. Shamim Ahmed Khan and Dr. Tariq Parvez).

October (9-14)
In Jakarta and Bandung (Indonesia) we ran the first  course for 25 nurses. The course was conducted by Prof. Carlo Pezcoller, together with  Datò John Cardosa, Dr. Benny Philippi, Dr. Dieta Parengkuan, the ET Phang Yoong Fook and Saadiah Daud (Malaysia).

Year 2001

May (14-19)
The second training course at the Policlinico of Modena  was attended by two doctors  from  Iran (Dr. Mohammad Vafaie and Dr. Saaed Derakhshani) and   2 doctors from  Sri Lanka (Prof. Kamal Deen and Dr. Nandadeva Samarasekera) .

On his return to Iran Dr. Vafaie and his colleagues founded the  Iranian Ostomy Society, registered on 14.7.2001

Year 2002

May (22-29)
The third course at the Policlinico of Modena  was attended by one doctor from Bangladesh (Dr. Abdul Kader Khan), one doctor from Nepal (Dr. Bhakta Man Shrestha) and  2 doctors from  Vietnam (Dr. Vo Tan Long and Dr. Nguyen Trung Tin) .

Year 2003

January (25-30)
In Tehran (Iran) Dr.Mohammad Vafaie with the help of the tireless Mrs. Maryam Sarlak and collaboration of Dr. Saaed Derakhshani and Dr.Bahar Mahjoubi , organized together with the ITTT the first course for 30 nurses.

Year 2000

May (24-28)
The fourth seminar at the Policlinico of Modena was attended by two doctors  from    Mongolia (Dr.  Bayarsaikhan Luvsandorj and Dr. Yansan Erdene-Ochir),   one doctor from Myanmar (Dr. Kyaw Sint) and one doctor from Laos (Dr. Rasachak Bouachanh)

Year 2005

The month of June-July (27/6 – 1/7)
Dr. Bayarsaikhan Luvsandorj and  Dr. Yansan Erdene-Ochir, with the collaboration of the Rotary Club of Ulaanbaatar Khuree (RI District 3450) and the  ITTT, organized in the “National Cancer Center of Mongolia” in Ulaanbaatar, a training course in “stoma care” which was attended by 8 doctors and 27 nurses.

On this occasion was established the Ostomy Association of Mongolia with President Dr. Geleg Davaasambuu.

November (7-12)
Dr. Vo Tan Long and Dr. Nguyen Trung Tin, supported by ITTT organized in Ho Chi Minh City (Vietnam) first training course in “stoma care” for 30 nurses

Year 2006

February (16-19) (22-25)
Prof. Harikesh Buch and Prof. Carlo Pezcoller have realized  two courses in the Indian State of North Karnataka. The first course (Feb.16- 19) was for  5 doctors and 25 nurses of the city of Dharwad and Hubli and the second (22-25) was for 10 doctors and 25 nurses of the city of Belgaum.

The event was welcomed with special warmth by the Lions of District 324-D2 India    which promised to help both the construction of stoma clinics in several hospitals and the newborn  association.

June (8-11)
Prof. Carlo Pezcoller and Dr. Rita Silanos represent Italy in the international “twinning conference” organized by EOA in Vilnius (Lithuania).

Prof. Carlo Pezcoller exposed  the LFSC  Project  to the  EOA delegates, who greatly appreciated the initiative and promised to spread the message to the Lions in their respective countries

July (2-6)
Di Bracken (IOA) and Prof. Carlo Pezcoller (LFSC) participated in Hong Kong at the 16th biennial congress of WCET, where, together with the ET Susan Stelton (WCET) and Prof. Katsuhisa Shindo (ASSR),  completed  the “Visitor Training Guidelines”.

October (6-8)
Prof. Desen Wan invited Prof. Carlo Pezcoller  to participate as a speaker to explain the LFSC   project  at the conference in Guangzhou (China) called “Guangzhou International Symposium on Stoma Therapy & Rehabilitation”.

On that occasion, along with Di Bracken and the other Chinese  colleagues, the program for the training  course in  Lanzhou ( China ) was developed.

December (4-11)
Workshop at the Tata Memorial Hospital in Mumbai (India) called, “Train the Trainers” organized by Prof. Harikesh Buch and the ITTT. The course was attended by 4 doctors, 18 nurses and 18 ostomates.

The workshop  took also the Past International  President of Lions, Dr. Ashok Mehta, who could realize personally the importance and effectiveness of the service. It has been signed an act of friendship and cooperation between the Districts 324D2-India and District 108Tb- Italy, to help the development of the LFSC Project  in India.

With this solemn commitment has been sanctioned the internationality of LFSC service. PIP Ashok Mehta has been activated at the LCIF to allocate the sum of US $ 10,000 for the development of “stoma care” in India.

Printed manual for ostomates from  Mongolia and Vietnam
Prof. Carlo Pezcoller wrote an informational booklet for ostomates  from Mongolia and Vietnam  which was  translated into both languages.  The illustrations was  prepared by a member of the L.C. Modena Wiligelmo, Enrico Manelli and printing was funded by the same L.C.

PRINTED THE 2007 CALENDAR OF FRANCO FONTANA
FRANCO FONTANA, famous international photographer,  donated 12 fantastic photos to print the 2007 calendar  in support of the  LFSC service .

Year 2007

The L. C. Modena Wiligelmo submited a grant application to LCIF, and obtained a loan of US $ 10,000 to start the  LFSC  project for Latin America

September
Professors Desen Wan and  Zhi Wei Zhou together with Dr.Chen Gong and ITTT, organized in Lanzhou (China), a course which was attended by 20 doctors and 150 nurses.

October (15 – 18)
Dr. Nguyen Trung Tin, with the financial help of the LFSC Project, achieved in Ho Chi Minh City (Vietnam), the second training course in “stoma care” for 30 nurses. The  team of teachers was entirely made up of doctors and nurses from Vietnam, previously trained at our courses.

October (11-18)
Fifth seminar at the Policlinico of Modena for doctors from  South America: Dr. Hugo Heredia (Santa Cruz-Bolivia), Dr. Jose Fernando Soria (Cordoba-Argentina), Dr. Jorge Medina Gutierrez (Asuncion –Paraguay

Year 2008

March (7-8)
Prof. Carlo Pezcoller was invited to the 5th Congress of the ASSR in Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia) to introduce the LFSC project.

The month of June-July (30/6 – 4/7)
Dr. Fernando Jose Soria, following the guidelines that had been developed during the course in Modena, in collaboration with ET Beatriz Reynoso, laid the groundwork for setting a Stoma Nurse school in Cordoba. They  organized also  in Cordoba, at  “Aula Istituto Oncologico Hospital Nacional de Clinicas” the first theoretical and practical course in “stoma care” for nurses.

July (24-27)
Prof. Harikesh Buch, with funding from the  LFSC project and with the collaboration of ET Hassina Wani, organized  at the Sher-e Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences  (SKIMS) Srinagar (State of Jammu & Kashmir – India)  a first course for  8 doctors and 32 nurses.

September (2-5)
Dr. Hugo Heredia with ITTT, in Santa Cruz ( Bolivia ) organized the first course for doctors and nurses. All presidents of L.C.s District S2-Bolivia together with the Governor Roberto Avila Castellanos, signed a protocol of friendship and cooperation with the L.C. Modena Wiligelmo and the District 108 TB – Italy to develop the  LFSC project in Bolivia and in Central and South America

October (2-5)
During the recent “54th European Forum of the Lions International” in Cannes (France), a delegation of the District 108Tb – Italy, had the opportunity to illustrate the immediate Past International President of Lions ,Mahendra Amarasuriya, the “Lions For Stoma Care” service for Latin America .

The meeting was attended also by PIP Ashok Mehta and both  Lions International Authorities have shown great interest and appreciation for this project.

Year 2009

April
At the initiative of the LFSC project and financing of FAIS, the nurse Elsa Beatriz Reynoso of Córdoba (Argentina) has refined his training by attending the Ostomy Rehabilitation Centre in Turin (Italy), directed by Dr. Roberto Aloesio.

September (10 -12)
On the occasion of the “VII Congreso Paraguayo de coloproctology” held in Asunción (Paraguay), Dr. Jorge Medina Gutierrez had organized an information seminar on “ stoma care”, addressed at doctors, nurses and  ostomates. The ITTT composed by Prof. Carlo Pezcoller and Prof. Hugo Heredia (Bolivia) with the collaboration of local teachers, imparted the first basic information for about 50 participants.

During his stay in Asuncion Prof. Pezcoller met the Lions of District M – 1 Paraguay: Luis Emilio Barrios Sanabria (Governor 2007-8) and Ruben Martinez Quervedo (1st Vice Governor 2009-10) who had shown interest and enthusiasm for the  LFSC project. They promised to help the Ostomy Association of Paraguay, and to contact the Lions of Bolivia and Argentina to expand LFSC in Central and South America

September (14-18)
At the Hospital Nacional de Clinicas of Córdoba (Argentina) Lion Dr. Fernando Soria organized the course called “Primera y Jornadas Internacionales de Ostomìas Heridas. Curso theoretical y practico para medicos y enfermeras “. The course was sponsored by the Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, the Hospital School of the UNC, the FAODRA (Federación de Asociaciones Ostomizados la Republica Argentina), the FAIS, IOA, the Lions Club Modena Wiligelmo (District 108Tb Italy) and the Club de Leones Alta Córdoba (District “O” 1 Argentina).

The ITTT together with a group of teachers from  Argentina  played theoretical and practical lessons for over 100 doctors and nurses from other hospitals of Córdoba, the city of Santa Fe, Rosario, Santiago del Estero, Villa del Rosario (Argentina) and Santa Cruz ( Bolivia ).

In the presence of the Governor of the Lions District  “O” 1-Argentina: Pedro Mario Morello, it  was inaugurated the first school for ” Enterostomal Therapists” of Latin America. Thanks to LFSC  project, now it  will be easier  to  assist the  ostomates of  Latin America . It will no longer be necessary  to spend valuable resources to train nurses  from abroad of  South America. LFSC sponsored  the fledgling school with 1,500 US $

Year 2010

During this  year, the LFSC project  supported financially  the training courses for nurses organized in Argentina, Bolivia and Paraguay by Doctors Hugo Heredia, Jose Fernando Soria and  Jorge Medina   Gutierrez.

Thanks to the promotion of the LFSC  project and the constant involvement of Dr. Jorge Medina Gutierrez, the Parliament of the Republic of Paraguay on November 8, 2010 approved the Law No. 4143 which provides care for the ostomates.

Starting from scratch, in just three years Paraguay has become aware of the problems of the ostomates and enacted a specific law for their protection. It is an extraordinary success that decreed definitely the absolute quality of our service.

Year 2011

June (6-10)
Sixth seminar in Modena at the “New Civil Hospital S. Agostino-Estense” .The doctors trained, came from the following countries: the Philippines (Dr. Manuel Roxas Francisco), El Salvador (Dr. Jose Victor Rodriguez Mendoza), India (Dr. Srinivas Chunduri), Romania (Dr. Moldavan Cosmin) .In addition to Italian teachers,  the ITTT was represented by ET Louise Forest Lalande – (Canada), and Prof. Harikesh Buch – (India)

October (14 – 17)
The ITTT, represented by Prof. Carlo Pezcoller and Prof. Harikesh Buch, went to Tehran (Iran) to participate in the training course for Enterostomal Therapists  organized by Prof. Mohammad Vafai, President of the Iranian Ostomy Society (IOS) with the collaboration of Dr. Roubik Behboo, Mrs. Maryam Sarlak and the ET Farzaneh Naghibi Ghane.

The theoretical and practical lessons were held at the headquarters of the IOS with the participation of 20 nurses from different regions of Iran.

November
AIOSS, FAIS and LFSC, have funded two nurses from Nigeria to attend the course for Enterostomal Therapists  organized  by AIOSS

November 12
LFSC had participated in financing the transport of 22,000 bags  for ostomates in Romania. ( Trucks from  the Italian Red Cross – CRI ). The initiative was promoted by Mr Stefano Piazza  (Vice President of FAIS) and the bags were donated to  the Romanian  Ostomy Association (APSCR) which is responsible for distributing them free of charge to needy patients.

Year 2012

December (3-7)
At the hospital “THE  MEDICAL  CITY” in Manila (Philippines), it  took place the first course for  Enterostomal Therapists. The event was organized by Prof. Manuel Francisco Roxas together  with ITTT. The course was attended by 30 nurses.

Year 2013

February (11-16)
At the “District Hospital” City of Kisumu (Kenya),  a course consisting of 41 doctors and nurses , was coordinated by Prof. Carlo Pezcoller in collaboration with Prof. Harikesh Buch (India) and the ET nurse   Rosine Van Den Bulck ( Belgium ).This city of 400,000 inhabitants was chosen for his strategic position ( on the banks of Victoria Lake , near the border with Tanzania and Uganda), which would  allow  the participation of doctors and nurses from all three countries.

LFSC project landed for the first time in Africa , Continent where the number of ostomates is constantly increasing. This situation is explained by the fact that nowadays there are more hospitals in Africa and therefore it is possible to treat those diseases which before were not cured at all and quickly wore patients to death. Unfortunately, even children can suffer for  a stoma and Dr. Enock Oduor Odero Mwanza (Tanzania) who attended the course, told us that on the Lake Victoria  banks in Tanzania, many children are born with imperforate anus (ie without the presence of the anus), and this is incompatible with life if you do not practice urgently a stoma. The reason of the high incidence of this malformation is  unclear.

There were 41 participants who took training during this course. Out of these 3 doctors & nurses from Uganda, 4 were from Tanzania & rest were from Kenya including a surgeon from Kisumu. Ms Sally Agallo, secretary of “ Stoma World Kenya “ from Nairobi,  also participated in this workshop.

The reception and the participation of local Lions was incredible! Since our arrival in Kisumu, have been lovingly cared for by the President of the L.C. Kisumu Host Hasmukh Pabari and Past Governor (1994-95)  of District 411 C. Mehta Ramesh who incurred the cost of our stay.

After the course, we were received in Nairobi by Past International Director Manoj Shah (Honorary President of the course), the Governor of District 411 A- Varish Sheikh, and the President of the area Govind R. Shah

All the  Lions authorities of District 411 are more than happy to collaborate with Lions of Italy to realize the LFSC service in Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania and Ethiopia

Year 2014

January (20-25)
Prof. Kamal Deen, along with ET Geethani Rathnayaka and ITTT organized in Jaffna (Sri Lanka) at the meeting room of the “ School of Nursing of the Hospital of Jaffna”  a course for 50 doctors and nurses of the Territory. The course was advocated by  PIP Mahendra Amarasurija and PIP Ashok Mehta. The entire program was funded by LFSC in collaboration with the Lions of District 306 B1, the Jaffna Medical Association and the Hospital in Jaffna.

At the end of the course was founded the local Ostomates Association and the Lions V. Thiyagarajah, in collaboration with the Hospital, promised  as soon as possible to open a stoma clinic to help all the ostomates of the area.

Year 2015

August (24-28)
On involvement of PIP Mahendra Amarasurija   and the PIP Ashok Mehta, the LCIF has awarded to the Lions of Sri Lanka the sum of  U.S.$ 10.000. to organize the stoma care in the region of Batticaloa (Sri Lanka). Prof. Kemal Deen in collaboration with ET Geethani Rathnayaka and ITTT organized a course for 30  doctors and nurses in this area .

As usual, the local Lions welcomed us warmly and thanked us for the help we have given to their territory. The Lions Dr. (Mrs.) Chandrakantha Mahendranathan, (Region Chairperson / Region, 10, District 306-C2) has published an article in their language and script of Sri Lanka with photos of the important events that can be viewed by connecting to:

http://www.battinews.com/2015/08/blog-post_554.html