Successes: Ross Coomber
However what set Ross apart was the additional commitment shown to the Nepalese community whilst he was there. Ross spent his spare time teaching children at the local orphanage how to play football, as well as setting up and paying for a health-camp within the same village. Using money he had raised before arriving in Nepal, Ross also supported the building of an additional floor onto the orphanage.
It subequently transpired:
- Ross set up The Matthew Stone ME Appeal in 2004, a fund raising organisation for ME/CFS, which he helps to run. Since 2004, Ross has helped raise in excess of £50,000, making The Matthew Stone ME Appeal one of the largest contributors to ME Research UK.
- He set up and ran the UEA Surgical Society for three years, running numerous events including specialty days, anatomy teaching and surgery assisting. As a result he sat on a board at the Royal College of Surgeons and implemented a range of new initiatives including a medical student basic surgical skills course which the college is now creating for itself.
- In his 3rd year summer holiday he travelled to Ethiopia and volunteered to work in a rural hospital due to staff shortages, which involved setting up clinics in extremely remote villages. In one village he raised enough money from friends to buy a family a new home, ensuring that they would not be separated.
- He subsequently set the Ethiopian hospital up as an elective so that other students can benefit from the experience, as well as enabling money to be raised for the hospital and local community.
- He currently sits on the council at the Royal Society of Medicine on the obstetric and gynaecology section which tries to raise awareness of the Society and increase student members. This included suggesting a student prize which has now been released.