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8-The Canadian Champion, Tuesday, March 29, 2005 E'Ii Vîsit us at www.karensflowerslop.com cut n! ï y Pg 487 Laurier Ave. It 878-2881 ,/Student to help vaccinate kids in Ecuador By STEPHANIE THIESSEN The Champion For someone living in a remnote village in Ecuador, getting a vac- cine isn't a routine occurrence. With no transportation to the cities where these shots are avail- able, villagers often do without. As a result, people -especially cbildren -are dying of easily preventable illness- es, namnely typboid fever. But next month, some of those villagers will be visited by a potentially life-saving group. The townsfolk will be able to have their children vaccinated against typhoid fever, and receive education about such things as safe drinking water. It's a mission Miltonian Amy Prisniak is proud to be a part of. The third year Queens University student -who'll tumn 22 while in Ecuador -will leave April 27 and spend a month there with 20 team- mates, most from Queens. "This is something Vve wanted to, do my entire life,' Ms Prisniak said. She's travelling as part of Volunteer Abroad, a not-for-profit group owned by the Canadian Federation of Students. The group will be teamning up and working with Red Cross officiais. Volunteer Abroad bas travelled around the world building shelters and developing health programs, but this upcomning trip is a pilot projeet tbat Ms Prisniak bopes will take off. "This is the first time we're making a connection witb people wbo are harder to reacb," she said, adding, "Tbey've (Volunteer Abroad) done vaccinations in other places, and it's been well received." After undergoing training on how to give needles as well as learning about the Ecuadorians' attitudes toward healtb, Ms Prisniak will be part of a travelling clinic that will stop at various communities wbere they'll give typhoid vaccinations to kids under 10. Il's the younger kids who are most sus- ceptible 10 the illness. "The older onles have a better chance (Tf surviving because their immune systems increase svitb lime." Ms Prisniak explained. As well as a lack of transportation. Ms Prisniak said people in remnote villages don't understand the importance of vacci- nations or how typhoid is spread -main- ly tbrough food and water. That's one of the reasons education will be a big part of their visits. The vaccinations last just tbree 10 five years, s0 Ms PrAsniak said the idea As 10 have a group retumn every several years 10 continue the work ber group bas started. Altbougb ber family is fully backing ber, Ms Prisniak admitted wben sbe first told tbemn about tbe trip, tbey were surprised 10, say tbe least. 'Tbey looked aI me like I bad two beads," sbe said. 'But 1 Raid if I dont do Ibis, l'Il wonder'Wbat if'fortbe rest of my lite."1 Mother proud, but concerned Her mom. Fran. Raid tbe family's slowly getting used to the idea. She mnade no qualms about tbe fact sbe first wondered wby ber daugbîer couldn't just stay in Milton. "Il's ouI of our bands - il's so far away." Fran said, not covering tbe apprebension in ber voice. "But sbe's exciîed, so we're excited." Sbe added il's not out of character for ber daugbter to embark on sucb an advenîure. "Il's not really sbocking Ibat sbe'd do somnetbing like Ibis," Fran said, explaining ber daughter bas always been one 10 belp others. As ber departure date looms, Ms Prisniak said she's feeling a mix of nerves and excitemnent. "There's such power and excitemnent among tbe group," sbe said. "We're getting each other ail fired up." Altbough she's always had a heart for people leas fortunate than herself, Ms Prisniak said Ibis is ber first lime taking part in art international project. Years ago. when she was a student aI Holy Rosary Catbolic Sebool, Ms Prisniak said she was inspired by tbe parisb priest who returned from Guatemala and pre- pared a slide show for the students who had helped raise money. "Be said, 'Here are the faces of people you've helped.' t just îboughî il was sucb a great thing for me 10 sce wbere some of my efforts were going." Wben she retumns, Ms Prisniak said she wartts 10 do a similar presentaîton for tbe sîXdents aI Holy Rosary antd bopefully inspire tbem. Altbougb sbe cao try 10 imagine wbat tbe journey xvill bold, Ms Prisniak said sbe knows sbe's probably way off. One îbing sbe said Ibere's no doubt about is change As in store. "Everyone Vve talked 10 wbo've done initiatives like Ibis bave said tbey've come back completely cbanged." Stephonie Thiessen (an be reached ait sthiesserî@miltoncanadianchampi'on.com. Photo by ASHLEA WESSEL Amy Prisniak looks at a map of South America as her upcoming volunteer trip ta Ecuadar draws near. ~7\CQ EC Cogeco Cable Channel 14 Programming Schedule - Tuesday, March 29 - Monday, April 4, 2005 «WuIy Local lIev bISo O 5Up.X PI,.,AX.'II leXTRfA R 00p - 6 AAAA4ýd' EXTRA 3 Ap.- 6 RA lggqAAn' XTRA 3 A0.-4XI PIgedAREI EXTRA 8DTRAA4AO PAgged n EXTRA lOARAm IllAe T 80R.1100, PXgM l EXTRA www.cogsco.ca I:p 0rit VK. 0I, Poge n EXRA ô3ARATABUMEmua6 OM-MOIh iq, TIn'TR EXTR ETe TBAA 30M SHATA fl , TUaXo SwIr TAe LwXX RI ,nýH.4 800m RAXEX A R ugg ET XIR EXTRA "TAERA 50 Lngmih NORTH IIALTON STUDIO Il I -AR MU2 A 0n, mw M rX , 2AATM 9 a1aA, RRIIIIIRI EXEi TAMTAR CEAXAIT RAXAXA~1 A' A MAAtATAA 'ET A ç - MARRAt RRAXd Ill EXTRA E 0p XERA w I l EXTRA Laurier Plaza 73ERA SimM HfA 500 Laurier Avenue Mikon, ON L91 4R3 905-878-9306