ROWLING IN IT

SquareOne News

by Karen Combe

A signed JK Rowling book fetched over £1000 after being auctioned off at Napier University in aid of a clinic based in Malabo, Equatorial Guinea.

Napier’s Dyslexia Co-ordinator Monica Gibbon and Student Counsellor Frances McColm, along with students and colleagues, organised a fundraising event at the Merchiston Campus to buy medical supplies for the Clinica Esperanza (Clinic of Hope). A total of £2000 was collected through the auction, raffle and bric a brac sale.

Room B40 normally reserved for conferences was transformed into a fair with stalls offering home baking, complementary therapies, handcrafts and a raffle. Organiser Monica Gibbon said, “It’s gone very well this afternoon, I’m really pleased. It just shows how one moment of goodness from people can make a big difference to the lives of others.”

Former Napier student, cardio-thoracic nurse Morag McMahon will take medical equipment to the clinic where she will be working as a volunteer. This follows Napier tourism student Cinta Bravo, who has been working at the clinic for the last six weeks and helped instigate the fundraising.

The clinic was established independently in 2005 by founder Dr Nkomy with assistance from Dr Wright and other family members to provide affordable, quality healthcare for the local people in Malabo. The clinic based in the late founder’s family home relies on fees paid by patients who can afford to pay and from funds raised overseas. Run with limited facilities and supplies, the clinic according to the fundraisers is desperately in need of more resources.

Wendy Palmer a nurse and Masters of Information Systems student volunteered to help the clinic by setting up a web site. “I wanted to help them by offering a sustainable solution to the fundraising and as a resource for the clinic. The web site will hopefully be up and running by this weekend. “

For further information: www.clinic-of-hope.com