To mark World Polio Day on the 24th of October, we spoke to Sr Maureen who works at the Compassion Centre for children. The Centre facilitates children with physical health conditions such as polio, paralysis and cerebral palsy, and is located in Nkpogu, Trans Amadi, Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Nigeria. Having obtained her qualification as an orthopaedic nurse in 2019, Sr Maureen now works at the Compassion Centre and helps patients with such conditions.
The Religious Sisters of Charity first began our work in helping polio survivors in Nkpogu on the 3rd of January 1992. The Sisters, under the administration of Sr. Pauline Butler (RSC) and Sr. Rosaleen Desmond (RSC), took over the management of 25 children with various physical conditions at the Compassion Centre. The majority of these children were affected by Polio Disease and were moving around on their hands and knees, while others had congenital deformities.
Sr Maureen spoke about the range of supports offered by the Compassion Centre, such as physiotherapy and corrective surgery. According to records, the Centre has carried out about one thousand corrective surgeries and thirty thousand physiotherapy programmes. More than nineteen thousand children and adults have received crutches, around two hundred clients have received artificial legs, five hundred adults and children have been gifted with callipers (femur support) and shoes. The Centre has also provided wheelchairs to numerous patients.
Poliovirus attacks the central nervous system, which results in various forms of paralysis. In these cases, the Centre generally arranges surgical operations to correct these deformities; which are largely successful and life-changing for the children. The Congregation is grateful to Intel’s Services Nigeria, along with the other organisations and individuals who generously donate to the Compassion Centre, which is sustained by such donations.
However, aside from supporting the physical health of children affected by these illnesses and conditions, the Centre places emphasis on building the confidence of these children, aiming to provide them with a “solid foundation”. “Life can be very difficult for these patients,” explains Sr Maureen. “But it is our aim to help build up their confidence. We want them to feel confident, valued and loved despite their conditions”.
In the area of education, five hundred children have graduated on scholarship from Sancta Maria Nursery and Primary School – the adjoining primary school – managed by the Religious Sisters of Charity. Of these numbers, about three hundred children have graduated with scholarships to secondary and tertiary institutions. “The patients mix with other children here, and make friends”, explains Sr Maureen. Currently, Compassion Centre has one hundred children on scholarship both in Secondary and tertiary institutions. Meanwhile, most of the Compassion Centre graduates are currently working as senior staff at multinational firms in Port-Harcourt Nigeria, while others work in various other professional fields.
Besides education, there are a range of extra-curricular programmes organised by the centre, such as creative and applied arts, catering, beading, choreography, music lessons, football, athletics, singing and swimming. These programmes provide the opportunity for children to build on key skills such as teamwork and communication, and build on self-esteem; factors which are crucial to facilitating their integration into society.
