Mobilize Mankind

New Wheelchair Center: In March, as a community response to our urgent need of space to make a MobiMex center in Los Cabos, Professora Miriam Gmez Rivera of the Cabo San Lucas special education school prepared and presented a PowerPoint presentation on the work Mobilize Mankind has been doing over the last 14 years. In attendance were Regidor Daniel Arreola Elizondo, head of the Commission of Education, Recreation and Sports and Professor Ren Hernandez, head of Regional Services of Los Cabos, as well as, teachers and their assistants, parents and children, therapists and the press. Professora Glenda Cesea, also from the special education school, supported the event by inviting the press and helping Mobilize Mankind reach the greater community with this urgent need.Because of these community efforts, a large space was found only one block away from the CSL special education school! In April of 2016, Mobilize Mankind moved into our new Wheelchair Assembly and Distribution Center which included warehouse space for storing, assembling, refurbishing and distributing wheelchairs and other orthopedic equipment,Before we could move in however, the building needed to be cleaned, painted and some repairs made. The community once again arose and students from the special education school, supervised by their principle and teachers, put on the first coat of paint donated by local businesses. Next the Los Cabos Public Works department contributed the finish paint work and moved the stored Mobilize Mankind wheelchairs, assembly materials, tools and work benches into the new center. Help was also received from the newly established Institute for People with Disabilities.Since moving in:oOver fifty (50) new wheelchairs have been assembled at the Center, valued at $25,000.oForty (40) recycled wheelchairs have been refurbished.oOn May 7, 2016, the first wheelchair/equipment distribution in the new Center took place. oIn the fall of 2016, thirty (30) Kid Chair wheelchairs assembled in our new Wheelchair Center were donated to DIF La Paz for their distribution in La Paz.Springbreak 2016: All but one member of the Mobilize Mankind Board of Directors came to Cabo San Lucas for the Annual Springbreak Project of 2016. The team of six (6) specialists provided evaluations, training and assistance with custom fitting equipment and wheelchair distributions. Approximately 30 participants including teachers, assistants, parents and students attended training courses provided by our team this week. The following topics were presented: visual supports, receptive and expressive communication both verbal and non-verbal, choice making, eye gaze, sign language, picture exchange, voice output devices and the use of assistive technology, building independence, imitation/matching/touch point math, autism, social stories and sensory areas.Ongoing Wheelchair distributions and evaluation clinics: MobiMex evaluates the individuals as their needs change and provides the family with consultation and new equipment. Now, with our new Wheelchair Center open 5 days a week, wheelchair distributions are taking place on a weekly basis rather than only during wheelchair distribution events. Children and adults have been seen primarily in the new center in Los Cabos in addition to some home visits, evaluations and distributions in La Paz. Totals 50 custom wheelchairs, 30 walkers, 2 lifts, 2 adapted wheelchair tables in addition to the Prosthetics and Orthotics Clinic in November, and the Genetics Clinic in February. In addition, trained Mexican Physical therapists at the Special Education Schools in La Paz are continually adjusting and exchanging the custom wheelchairs for their students.Hurricane Relief: Continued distribution of earmarked funds for Hurricane relief to families of special needs children for restoration of accessible living quarters and basic personal property.Prosthetics and Orthotics Clinic: In October/November, Mobilize Mankind served 30 individuals for both prosthetics and orthotics in collaboration with the Balandra Rotary Club. This seven-year project has now custom made and fitted over 400 prosthetics and recycled innumerable orthotics all free to their recipients. Assuming a safe--to-say minimum value of 5,000 per prosthetic that is over $2,000,000 dollars for the prosthetics alone, not to mention the orthotics.Medical Evaluations: Medically fragile children were evaluated by Dr. Robert Haining from Oakland Childrens Hospital, California, who comes routinely returns to assist with the P&O Clinic and offers consultation services as needed.Major Hospital Referrals: Five children have been referred to Shriners Hospitals in Tijuana, Los Angeles, and Sacramento. They have received surgery, rehabilitation services, burn services, medical attention & evaluations. Therapy Training: Mexican physical therapists are beginning to take more ownership of wheelchair adjustments and giving wheelchairs and braces to children new to the system. They are becoming comfortable with the complicated wheelchair seating process for severe children and have benefited from the Mobilize Mankind training they have received. In addition, they are participating in our wheelchair clinics with the children they serve in La Paz and Los Cabos. In La Paz, the Physical Therapists are recycling wheelchairs and braces on a regular basis as we have trained them. Program Equipment/Supplies: Forty-five (45) wheelchairs were donated by Tri-County Mobility from Goleta, CA. Orthotic braces were donated from Cascade Dafo. Staff Continuing Education: April, 2016 - Therapy in Educational Settings Conference in Eugene, Oregon.