Making Tiny Dreams Real

September 2008
The seven Rotary Clubs in the new Rotary in London North East Area have combined forces for an Area project. As a result the Rotary Clubs of North East London (Barking, Chigwell, Dagenham, Epping, Leytonstone & Woodford, Loughton & Buckhurst Hill and Roding) are working together to provide support for unborn babies and their mothers in a campaign called Making Tiny Dreams Real. The connection between President Bob Bishop of the Rotary Club of Roding and Professor John Wyatt at University College Hospital was the catalyst for this project.

Each year almost a million babies die in the first month of life due to complications of childbirth and more than a million babies die during labour and delivery. These deaths are closely linked to half a million mothers who die from child birth complications. Over 99% of all newborn and maternal deaths occur in the developing world. Important causes include the lack of skilled personnel and lack of essential technology and medicines. More skilled caregivers, especially for safe childbirth, are an urgent need. However innovative approaches to the provision of basic technology for healthcare are also necessary and this is often forgotten.

Many communities do not have appropriate technology to monitor the progress of babies in the womb. As a result, problems may not be identified early enough and babies die unnecessarily. Such communities often do not have a reliable electricity supply so conventional medical equipment is not suitable.

A Foetal Heart Monitor has been developed with the co-operation of Freeplay Energy, the developer of the original wind-up radio with inventor Trevor Baylis, and Powerfree Education & Technology (PET) a not for profit company registered in South Africa. The founders are Professor John Wyatt, a neonatalogist at University College Hospital, London, Dr. Joy Lawn, a paediatrician and perinatal epidemiologist working with Save the Children, based in South Africa, and Professor Dave Woods, retired head of neonatology at Groote Schuur Hospital, Cape Town.

Making Tiny Dreams Real will provide the monitors to enable PET to carry out a one year trial in South Africa before the project is expanded to other developing countries and the seven clubs are raising money for the first batch of wind-up foetal heart monitors for use in South Africa.

At the launch reception on 1 September at Forest School, Snaresbrook, the audience of representatives of the seven clubs were fascinated by the presentation given by Professor Wyatt. President John Davis of the Rotary Club of Dagenham handed Professor Wyatt a generous cheque for £1500, from the President’s fund of the Immediate Past President Ron Curtis. Many thanks to Dagenham for this magnificent sum which really gets the project off the ground.

August 2009

In front of a capacity audience including the Crown Prince and Princess of Denmark, Freelay Energy of CapeTown was awarded a 100,000 Euros INDEX:Award, the winner in the body category. The INDEX:Award is the biggest design award in the world, with a total award sum of 500,000 euros. Recipient John Hutchinson, CTO of Freeplay Energy of Cape Town, credits medical associate Prof. John Wyatt of University College, London, as his “brother in arms” in creating the device.

Watch the award ceremony HERE

Watch the award video HERE

September 2009
On September 19 at the Rotary Club of Roding's Georgian evening at Copthall in Epping Forest, Rotary in London Assistant Governor North East Area Jeremy Jessel presented a certificate to Professor John Wyatt of University College London. The certificate marked donations of £6200 made by the North East Area clubs which will pay for 31 wind-up feotal heart monitors.

How You Can Help….

Gift Aided donations can be made online HERE

Download an explanatory leaflet HERE

The Rotary Club of Southgate's Benevolent Fund is administering the fund raising.