Siem Reap - Dr Beat Richner

Although the food and temples were awesome, the most memorable and touching part of my trip to Siem Reap happened on the night before we left. Everyone talked about the Kantha Bopha Children's Hospital when we were there. We didn't really understand what the big deal was. We were given leaflets at the temple check points on a daily basis and even Sorn couldn't stop talking about it. He kept telling us we had to attend the cello concert given by Dr Beat Richner. We thought this guy was a celebrity or someone was trying to pull a fast one over the tourists. Anyway, after a quick check on the internet, this is what we found:

Beat Richner was born in Zurich on 13 March 1947. After receiving his medical degree in 1973 he specialised in paediatrics at the Zurich Children's Hospital. In 1974/75 he was sent through the Swiss Red Cross (SRC) to Cambodia to work at the Kantha Bopha Children's Hospital. His mission came to an abrupt end when the Khmer Rouge invaded the country. Dr. Richner was forced to return to Switzerland where he took up his former work at the Zurich Children's Hospital. In 1980 he opened his own practice in Zurich, which he shared with a fellow practitioner.

Whilst pursuing his medical career Beat Richner developed the character of BEATOCELLO, an artistic role which he would slip into from time to time and which might best be described as that of a poetic and musical comedian or clown. He has given countless performances, mostly in the German-speaking part of Switzerland but also abroad. Beat Richner has also published a number of books with simple line-drawings -mostly children's book- to accompany his programs and his musical poetic stories.

Kantha Bopha I, the first hospial

In December 1991 Dr. Richner was asked by the Cambodian government to rebuild and manage the Kantha Bopha Children's Hospital which was destroyed during the war; once again, his life took a sudden turn as he accepted the job. In March 1992 he created a foundation in Zurich, moved to Phnom Penh and began with the actual reconstruction work. On 2 November 1992 Kantha Bopha Children's Hospital was back in operation. Over the following years the hospital was progressively extended and modified to meet the most urgent needs.

Kantha Bopha II, the second hospial

1995 the hospital Kantha Bopha I became overcrowded with more than 1'000 outpatients every day and over 350 Hospitalisations, the king Norodom Sihanouk offered a land in his Royal Palast in Phnom Penh to build a new hospital. On 12 October 1996 the second Children's Hospital was inaugurated in the presence of Cambodia's king Norodom Sihanouk and Jean-Pascal Delamuraz, president of the Federal Council of Switzerland.

Jayavarman VII, the third hospital

On March 9th 1998 a terrain was given by Hun Sen, Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Cambodia, initiated by H.E. Cham Prasidh, Minister of Commerce, in Siemreap near the temple of Angkor to build a third children's hospital. Jayavarman VII Dr. Beat Richner's third children's Hospital in Siemreap, annexe of Kantha Bopha I & II, was open on March 31th 1999. As well as in Kantha Bopha I & II all is free of charge for all Children. There is a big prevention and Health Education Center, a big Outpatient station and facilities for the hospitalizations and the adequate medical treatments of very sick children having to be hospitalized in order to be saved. The conception of the new Hospital is the result of the staff's 7 years experience in Kantha Bopha Children's Hospital in Phnom Penh. It could be a global model how to build and organize a Hospital facing similar conditions.

Maternity ward for HIV positive mothers

At the inauguration of the Jayavarman VII Children's Hospital, in Siem Reap, Samdech Hun Sen, prime minister of the Kingdom of Cambodia, announced in the presence of King Norodom Sihanouk that the government would give additional land for the hospital. (More about it) Thanks to several specific private donations, Beat Richner was able to build and complete a maternity ward for HIV positive mothers adjacent to the hospital "Jayavarman VII" in Siem Reap Ankor. The inauguration took place on October 9, 2001, and the new ward is now in operation.

in March 2005 an Hospital's extension at the Kantha Bopha III (or Jayavarman VII ) was opened with 350 additional beds.

Kantha Bopha IV

In 2004 the hospital Kantha Bopha I in Phnom Penh was too small and two of its three buildings where in a very bad and dangerous condition. Without a new construction Kantha Bopha I could not function any longer. The construction of a new hospital started on August 3rd 2004 after having bought a land giving on the Wat Phnom. The new Children's Hospital Kantha Bopha IV was inaugurated on December 29th 2005.

Kantha Bopha V, The latest Hospital in Phnom Penh (2007). Soon after the inauguration of Kantha Bopha IV, the hospital was overcrowded and in 2006 the amount of hospitalized patients in Phnom Penh had increased by 50%. We decided to build the Kantha Bopha V which was inaugurated on december 28th 2007 presided over by His Majesty King Norodom Sihamoni and in participation of Samdech Hun Sen and the high ranking members of the royal government of Cambodia. The new Kantha Bopha V has a prevention station, x Ray, Fluoroscopy, Ultrasound, Laboratories and 9 units with 34 beds(About 300 beds). in addition to this we have a conference room and a medical library. The costs were 9 Million USD.

Kantha Bopha has become a highly respected model for the entire Southeast Asian region of just how efficient direct medical and humanitarian aid -i.e., correct medication unhampered by corruption combined with targeted long-term training - can be in the areas of curative and preventive medicine as well as in research. Most of the hospitalís funds come from private individuals in Switzerland who make spontaneous donations for Kantha Bopha, very often straight after one of BEATOCELLO's performances.

In 15 years the Kantha Bopha Hospital treated 7,5 Million outpatients, 650'000 inpatients and did 90'000 surgical operations

500'000 children would had not survive without this hospitals.

We attended his Beatocello concert which is on every Saturday evening at 7.15pm. He usually picks up his cello and plays for about an hour and then he asks for the older people to donate money, for the younger people to donate blood and for those in between, to donate both. Through his weekly concerts, he raises about USD$5M a year.

The evening that we went to the concert, he only played for about 5 minutes since the weather was quite humid and he wanted to preserve his cello which was from Italy. He also said that it's not peak season so there were less tourists. Instead, he showed us a documentary they made about him and the hospitals which was just fresh off the shelf. He watched it together with the audience for the first time.

I was very touched by his dedication and his generosity towards the Cambodian children. With so much stress and worry, government corruption and people who generally don't care because they are just intent on pursuing their personal goals and have their own agendas, here is one man who dedicated his whole life to saving the lives of Cambodian children. He is constantly lobbying the government and through all his frustration, he says that the one thing that stays true to him is his cello.

Although my life is nothing like his and my hardship and worries are only a tiny miniscule insignifiant percentage of his daily frustrations and pain, I do understand where he is coming from. It is important to have an outlet so that you can keep going. For me, it's my cats. If I didn't have them to come home to, I don't think I could be here today.

I felt very humbled in his presence and I couldn't help but shed a few tears. I too want to find some meaning in my life. I think that's what keeps us going doesn't it? Being there that evening reminded me that each of us can make a difference in the world, no matter how small so be generous and give, reach out. I told myself the next time I get angry and frustrated something is not working out my way, there is someone else out there who is much worse off than me so I should just shut up and be happy.

If you go to Siem Reap, please do go to Beatocello which is on every Saturday evening at 7.15pm. Everyone knows where it is so all you have to do is ask or they will tell you before you even ask. Make sure you give what you can if you can.

Lynette