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There are many improvements in Romania as they strive to be admitted to the European Union. A Western-style shopping mall with 200 stores celebrated its grand opening in Timisoara, in October. The main roads are in much better shape although the country roads are still a challenge. Many of the historical Austrian-Hungarian buildings have been or are in the process of being renovated and are very beautiful. Locals tell us, however, that the rich are getting richer and the poor are getting poorer. Our contacts there seem to have a higher standard of living than they did 10 years ago, but they still must work very hard, at two jobs each to survive.

September, 2007

In Timisoara, Romania, we stayed in the home of Drs. Voicu and Roxanna Tudorache. Dr. Voicu Tudorache, Professor of Respirology at the Timisoara Medical School, is editing a textbook on Pulmonary Rehabilitation to be printed in Romanian and requested that we write a chapter entitled, “Pulmonary Rehabilitation of Patients with Cardiovascular Disease.” We had discussions regarding the first draft of this project.

We later hosted a dinner meeting with members of the Romanian Christian Medical Dental Society (CMDS). Dr. Voicu Tudorache has been elected as the new president of the Romanian CMDS and brings vital leadership to this organization. We have been invited to speak to the annual CMDS meeting in Romania in May, 2008.

Hungarian Baptist Nursing Home
The next day, we drove to Oradea where we stayed in the guest suites of the Emanuel Baptist church. Dr. Benjamin Pardi drove us to visit the Hungarian Baptist Nursing Home in a nearby village. Challenges of keeping this Nursing Home self-sufficient are on-going. This home has 35 residents and also has a large greenhouse where vegetables are grown, and animals are kept, not only to feed the residents of the Nursing Home but also to provide produce and eggs to be sold in the market place to help support the home. Dr. Pardi volunteers his medical services to the residents of this home. Funds were left to cover the medication costs and to help subsidize the cost of their indigent residents.

The Ciba Family
The following day, we met with the Ciba Family. We have been supplying the funds for growth hormones for Daniel since 1995. His physicians indicate the need for growth hormones for one more year, at which time Daniel will be 21 years old. Daniel is currently 170 cm (5’7”) tall and is the tallest member of his family.

The Bethesda Medical Clinic
In the evening, we hosted a dinner meeting for members of the Bethesda Medical Clinic which provides medical care for many indigent patients in Oradea. Obtaining the necessary medications for these patients is an on-going challenge. Health Partners International has been supplying medications, but they announced that, within two years, they will leave Romania.

September 9, 2007

We attended church services at the Emanuel Baptist Church and had dinner with our good friends Drs. Virgil and Dianna Popa. Virgil is a Cardiologist in Oradea’s Medical University hospital and Dianna is the head of the Rehabilitation Medicine Department in the same hospital. Plans were discussed for the Popa’s to visit us in BC for a cultural and medical exchange.

The Colacea Medical Clinic
The next day, we drove to Colacea Medical Clinic where we met Pastor Radu Tet. This clinic offers medical and dental care to three remote village and we rejoice that the physician working in this village has been granted permission to work under the state medical plan making this clinic largely self-supporting. We left money for the physical maintenance of the clinic.

Overall Impressions
Economics are improving in Romania. The country has been accepted into the European Union. Romania has endured many hardships but has been receiving aid from the West since the fall of Communism in 1989. While there are still many marginalized people in their society who need social nets to help them, the people of Romania are now in a much better position to assume the care of their own people.

Dr. Art Friesen and Dr. Marlyce Friesen

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