How did you get in touch with the organization?

I follow a manual therapist on social media who had been away with the organization, and I thought it sounded exciting. I looked up their site, and by coincidence, they had posted that very day that they were looking for volunteers for Costa Rica in April.

What does the organization do?

They help children with various disabilities who, due to their geographical or economic situation, do not have the opportunity to receive the care they need. The organization was started by an osteopath, so it is mainly osteopaths who go there as volunteers.

What was the situation like?

If the volunteers don't head out into the rainforest to treat these children, the families have to travel to the capital for the children to receive treatment. The trip takes about 20 hours one way, and the treatment lasts only 30 minutes. The journey involves hiking through rough terrain, a boat trip across a river, and a long bus ride—all while managing a wheelchair.
Children with disabilities are often hidden away at home and neglected. Many of the children we met had unfortunately also been subjected to sexual abuse. Their inability to defend themselves makes this group extremely vulnerable. The police were on standby the whole time we were there, but unfortunately, when we left, the police left too.

Was it an easy decision to go?

I felt the whole time that this was a trip I just had to make! However, I was initially hesitant about whether it would be possible since it was in the middle of the semester, but with a little luck and planning, I made it happen. The organization hadn't had a naprapath before, but after a conversation where I got to describe our profession, I was welcomed to join.

How come you specifically wanted to help extra vulnerable groups?

As a naprapath in Sweden today, we work with a privileged group in society because we are private practitioners, and therefore, a trip like this felt especially meaningful to me.
As naprapaths, we have a lot to contribute to these children with our knowledge and our hands. We cannot cure their illnesses, but we can help with pain relief and exercise, and in doing so, help create good conditions for them to reach their full potential.

How did the collaboration between the professions go?

I don't think I fully understood how big the difference was between osteopathy and naprapathy before I left. I had to learn that "the hard way." We often saw and felt different things and wanted to use different treatment methods. In the beginning, it was difficult to do myself and my knowledge justice when I was alone with all the osteopaths. After a few days, a physiotherapist joined us, and it became a bit easier because we had a more similar approach and could therefore work together.

What do you feel you were able to help with the most?

I worked a lot with pain relief and improving mobility and strength. Since I only met the children for a limited time, it was important to give the families advice they could take with them after I left. One example was a young girl with cerebral palsy who was wheelchair-bound and had hip pain. She constantly sat with her legs crossed, and simply informing her parents about the importance of changing and varying her position in the wheelchair created an "aha" moment for them, and the girl's pain issues disappeared.

What do you take with you the most?

Love for the people I got to meet, for the children, and for the families. Love for the therapists and colleagues I got to know and whom I now call my friends, but above all, love for the naprapathy profession.

Could you imagine going again?

Yes, absolutely! It was a fantastic experience, but we also encountered many difficult and tragic situations that I need time to process. I also want to gain more knowledge and experience before I go again so that I can contribute even more.

Would you recommend others to go?

Yes, definitely. It is a memory for life!
What I think you should keep in mind if you are interested in going is to have an open mind. There are a lot of new impressions, and it can be overwhelming to meet a completely new patient group while also collaborating with a different profession that has other theories and methods.

Photo report

In total, there were 9 of us from 6 different countries. There was a physiotherapist specializing in children with disabilities, six osteopaths, and myself, currently training to be a naprapath.

Here we were out in the rainforest. Even though the main purpose of the trip was to help children with disabilities, we also tried to help others in need. In this case, it was a father with knee pain whom we treated.

Here we see a child who was separated from his mother as a newborn. He has needed casts on both legs due to congenital deformities that are being corrected. Since his legs were in casts, we focused mostly on calming the patient and working on mobility in the upper body.
Here you can read more about the organization Hands with hearts