Dongdaewon 2017 is HERE!

And we are off!

It's that amazing time of the year where our community pulls together to help our MDR TB patients in North Korea.  We have partnered with the Eugene Bell Foundation (EBF) for the last 17 years to treat MDR TB.  They do an amazing job of treatment of multiple drug resistant TB (MDR-TB) in North Korea, which is a serious growing problem that is hard to treat.  EBF have a very good success rate in their treatment program and through our partnership with them, we have seen hundreds of lives changed.  Each of those lives also impacts a family.

We are off to an amazing start.  Swim For Dongdaewon happened this past weekend.  We have a brilliant new event - The Dongdaewon Two-Step coming up.  It will be a fabulous event for the whole family and is happening on Saturday March 4th.  Click on the links for more information.  Our t-shirts are for sale in divisions as of today.  Ms Thies has created an awesome design this year.  Get yours NOW!  We have many more fun events coming up including authentic Italian pizza classes, floral classes and more.  Watch this space!

Our fundraising period extends for 5 weeks, running from today until March 24th.  All funds raised go to buy medicine for our TB patients.  Meet some of them in the video below.

Pizza For Dongdaewon

Love Italian Pizza but just can't get to Italy enough to eat your fill!?  You have an amazing opportunity to learn to cook authentic pizza the Italian way right here in Seoul.  Ms Sanderson learnt to make pizza in Italy and will share her expertise with you right here in Seoul! Places are strictly limited and will go fast.  This class sold out last year.  You can sign up by clicking here.

The Dongdaewon TB Two Step - Come and Dance the Night Away!

SFS's very first Dongdaewon TB Two Step!  In lieu of the panto, this year we are running a fun filled evening of dancing - line dancing, square dancing, Scottish dancing - you name it!  Everyone is welcome, all ages, all abilities.  Students, Parents, Teachers, Grandparents, Aunties, Uncles - bring them all!

When:  Saturday, 4th March, from 7 - 9pm

Cost:  10,000 per person or 30,000 (family: 2 adults, 2 children + 5,000 won per child after that).

Where:  SFS, UAC

Why:  because it's time to let your hair down, do some exercise, have a laugh and put a spring in your step!

All proceeds go towards buying TB medicine for our TB patients.

Tickets available from your sections from Monday, February 20th.  Don't miss out and please spread the word!

Swim For Dongdaewon

What a fantastic kick-off to this year's Dongdaewon fundraising season!  On Saturday February 18th, we had 125 swimmers from multiple schools join us to swim for medicine.  All swimmers got a commemorative Dongdaewon swim cap.

A total of 2,200,000 won was raised.  Thanks to all swimmers, coaches and helpers and supporters!  You make a difference!

For more pictures from the day, click here.

And That's A Wrap!

That's it!  Dongdaewon is over for another year.  Thanks once again for your incredible support.
Here is a message from this year's Dongdaewon chair, Jo Thies:

What an honor it has been to work with so many caring, talented and generous individuals here at Seoul Foreign School and the greater community.  Our "official" efforts to help raise funds for Eugene Bell Foundation and the patients who suffer from Multiple Drug Resistant Tuberculosis has come to a close.  Most of the money raised has been collected, but funds are still trickling in as Silent Auction items are being delivered, and that envelope that was misplaced on a messy desk is turned in.  At this moment, our community has raised 49 Million Korean Won, inching closer to 50 Million.  These funds are used to purchase much needed medicine and medicine only. 

I would like to thank students, parents and staff for all their efforts in helping save lives.  It is overwhelming, all that is needed to reach the mark of 50 Million.  It takes a lot of song and dance, candy bars, t-shirts, kids in swim suits, pizza, carnival games, and administrative approval.  My prayer is that with all the smiles and love and laughter that was had here, will travel with the cranes to the patients that receive the gift of health. 

On behalf of the Tuberculosis Patients in Dongdaewon,

Thank you 

Jo Thies 

2016 

Dongdaewon Chair 

As we go to post, the Eugene Bell Team has just arrived in North Korea to deliver medicine and checkup on the patients.  Keep your thoughts and prayers with them ...

Until next year ...

Peace to you all.

Common Questions Asked About Dongdaewon

How do we know the North Koreans don't misuse the money?

Eugene Bell send NO money to North Korea.  The money raised buys medicine.  Each patient has sputum samples taken to find out which drugs they are resistant to.  A drug program is then tailor made for that specific patient, giving them the drugs that they will best respond to.

How do we know that the patients get their medicine?

Dr Seung and Dr Linton checking off medication supplies

Eugene Bell run a strict monitoring program and insist on visiting each centre that they work with.  They look at all patient records.  Each centre gets a list of the supplies coming and all supplies are checked.  Each patient knows what they should get as well.  Each patient is tested every six months - if they do not take their medicine, they will not get well.  Additionally, each patient is photographed which helps identify patients and provides a visual record of how they are doing.  The fact that patients are graduating from the MDR program, cured of TB shows that they are getting their medicine.

Why don't we send clothing and other supplies?

There are limits to what things can go into North Korea.  The North Koreans can get clothing. However, medicine is in extremely short supply and this is what there is a desperate need for.

Why don't we treat regular TB patients when they are so much cheaper 

and we could help more people?

Since 2009, the World Health Organization (WHO) has committed to providing DOTs meds for North Korea.  MDR is a growing concern.  The WHO have a plan to pick up 50 MDR patients over a five year period.  Eugene Bell currently have over 500 MDR patients on their books, with many more people desperate for treatment.  This is currently where the need is greatest.

Aren't We Violating UN Sanctions and going against the SK Government helping North Korea?

UN Sanctions have a carve out for humanitarian causes.  In recent sanctions imposed, the UN stated 

the new measures are not intended to have "adverse humanitarian consequences" for civilians, the majority of whom face economic hardships and food shortages.

Ceasing support of medicine for our TB patients at Dongdaewon would directly counter the intent of the UN resolution, as it would have adverse humanitarian consequences for civilians.  Currently the UN is spending a little over 100 million annually on humanitarian aid (South Korean UN Ambassador Oh Joon), including releasing an additional 8 million just last month (UNOCHA, 2016).

EBF work closely with the South Korean government (who issue their export permits for the medicine) and the North Korean Ministry of Health to make their program happen. 

Eugene Bell have enough money.  Why do we still support them?

At every center Eugene Bell visits, people appear out of nowhere, desperate to get on a MDR treatment program because they have failed DOTs treatment multiple times.  For every patient that EB accepts, they have to guarantee coverage of medicine for the life of treatment, which takes around 18 months.   This can cost around $USD5000 per patient.  It is heartbreaking to have to take some patients and leave others because there are not the resources to provide for medication.  MDR continues to grow and EB is one of the few organizations successfully working with this problem in North Korea.  The more resources they have, the more patients that can be treated.  Wouldn't it be a wonderful thing to leave a clinic knowing that you could help all those who needed it?!  

Music For Medicine

The talented musicians in KS3 and MS are hosting their annual "Music For Medicine" concert March 23rd at 3.30pm.  Don't miss the chance to hear some incredible young musicians play - this concert is always a treat!