Better Health 28 ENG

W e l c o m e
Welcome to
, the magazine
for patients and friends of Bumrungrad
International Hospital.
The brain is the body’s most important and
omplex organ. It is responsible for every aspect
and activity of everyday living. This issue of
focuses special attention on the most
serious threats to brain health.
Brain disorders including dementia, Alzheimer’s
disease, Parkinson’s disease and stroke cause
tremendous loss of life and permanent disability.
Becoming aware of one’s personal risk factors,
and understanding the importance of earlier
diagnosis and treatment, can help prevent brain
disorders and reduce their severity if they occur.
Beginning on page 4, our feature on dementia
and Alzheimer’s updates readers on progress in
diagnosing and treating these serious disorders,
and offers expert advice for caregivers and loved
ones providing critical support to patients.
Stroke is among the world’s leading causes of
death. Hemorrhagic stroke, also called cerebral
aneurysm, is the type of stroke that causes bleeding
in the brain. Our feature on page 8 briefs readers
on what they should know to prevent them, and
what to do if a stroke occurs.
On page 22, we focus on Parkinson’s disease
and recent progress in treating the widespread
condition, and how the right kind of care is giving
a major boost to patients’ quality of life.
As always, we welcome your feedback, ideas
and comments about
. Please feel
free to e-mail us at betterhealth@bumrungrad.com.
We look forward to hearing from you, and here’s
wishing you better health.
Dr. Jitra Anuras
Senior-Associate
Medical Director
C o n t e n t s
4 Dementia & Alzheimer’s
Helping patients and caregivers
8 Cerebral Aneurysm
What you should know about
hemorrhagic stroke
12 Q&A
14 Epilepsy
Helping parents & kids tackle
the challenges of epilepsy
18 Health Briefs
20 M.D. Focus
Get to know our doctors
22 Parkinson’s Disease
The case for earlier detection
26 News from Bumrungrad International
4 14 22
Better Health magazine is published by Bumrungrad Hospital Public Company Limited and is produced
for Bumrungrad Hospital Public Company Limited by Oakins and Stone Limited, 16 Asoke Court,
Suite 2-A, Sukhumvit 21 Road (Asoke), Klongtoey-nua, Wattana, Bangkok 10110. Tel: +66 (0) 2261 1211
Fax: +66 (0) 2261 1213. www.oakinsandstone.com
No part of this magazine may be reproduced without the written permission of Bumrungrad Hospital
Public Company Limited. 2013 by Bumrungrad Hospital Public Company Limited. All rights reserved.
Publication of advertisements or sponsorships shall not constitute an endorsement by Bumrungrad
Hospital Public Company Limited of the products or services promoted, of the company or organization,
nor of the claims made.
Telephone:
Facsimile:
Out-patient
appointment:
Website:
66 (0) 2667 1000
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www.bumrungrad.com

BONE MYTHS & TRUTHS
Busting the myths
about bones and joints
Many widely-held beliefs about bone and joint
health turn out to be falsehoods or half-truths.
Here’s a look at some of the popular myths,
and the facts that prove them wrong.
We live in an age of free-flowing information that
comes at the click of a mouse. That’s a good thing
for the most part, but it sometimes adds to the
challenge of separating the truth from everything else.
A look at the facts will demonstrate that some of the
most widely-believed myths simply aren’t true.
A bone fracture is less serious
than a broken bone
Many people believe that a bone fracture is a less
serious event than a broken bone. In reality, the
two are identical. Severe fractures can result in a
bone breaking up into two or more separate pieces. Minor
fractures involve a crack in a bone that remains intact,
sometimes called a hairline fracture.
The types and degrees of fractures are numerous, but
each and every one involves a bone that has been broken
and should be examined by a doctor to assess the damage
and repair the break.
After bones are fully developed,
they don’t change
The model skeletons that helped us learn as kids
never changed, but for real fully-grown adults,
bones have the capacity to change throughout
our lives. Their ever-changing nature can be attributed to
osteoblasts, the cells responsible for generating bone mass.
Osteoblasts react when bones come under stress. They
help boost bone strength to counter the stress, especially
in and around the joints where the stress is concentrated.
Weight-bearing exercise such as moderate jogging is an
effective way to help stimulate bone production. This helps
lower the risk of osteoporosis and promotes faster recovery
for patients with osteoporosis-related problems.
Osteoporosis is a painful
bone condition
Osteoporosis is a disease that causes loss of
bone mass. But unless a bone has fractured,
osteoporosis doesn’t cause pain.
Osteoporosis can go undetected for years. Without causing
any noticeable symptoms, it gradually eats away at bones.
Detecting osteoporosis is done using a bone densitometry
scan – a test advised for adults beginning at age 40. The
scan is an important element in osteoporosis prevention
and earlier detection.
Arthritis is a disease for old people
While our arthritis risk increases as we age,
seniors don’t have a monopoly on the disease.
This painful joint condition can strike children,
teenagers and adults of all ages.
It’s true that arthritis can result from the gradual deter-
ioration of joints after years of over-use and wear-and-tear.
But arthritis has many types and multiple causes –
rheumatoid arthritis, gout, psoriatic arthritis, accidents,
infections, etc. – none of which discriminate based on age.
People with arthritis have
to stop doing . . .
Arthritis patients can encounter challenges
carrying on some of their normal activities, but
treating them as helpless or powerless is not
the answer.
The best way to care for someone with arthritis is give
attentive care. Avoid being over-protective so as not to
encourage the patient becoming too
dependent – a situation that
can affect the physical
and mental well-
being of patients
and caretakers
alike.

CEREBRAL ANEURYSM
Cerebral Aneurysm: What you should
know about hemorrhagic stroke
Each year, cerebral aneurysms cause death and permanent damage to
millions around the world. Here’s what you should know about the
causes of hemorrhagic stroke, and what to do when a stroke occurs.
It’s difficult to overstate the magnitude of the global threat:
According to the World Stroke Organization (WSO),
nearly 15 million people worldwide suffered a stroke
last year, and half of them didn’t survive. Stroke and other
types of cerebrovascular disease continue to rank at or near
the top of the world’s leading causes of death and disability.
Most people have a basic understanding of strokes,
and many have lost loved ones to stroke. Fortunately,
significant progress has been made in stroke diagnosis,
treatment and prevention; patients now have a better
chance of surviving a stroke, and there are better
ways to limits its damaging effects.
Unlike the more common ischemic stroke, which
involves a clot or blockage, hemorrhagic stroke – also
called cerebral aneurysm or brain aneurysm – results
from the dilation or thinning of the wall of an artery
or blood vessel in the brain that eventually tears or
ruptures, allowing blood to flow into the brain.
The nature of the threat
Cerebral aneurysms are caused by an abnormal
thinning of the wall of a blood vessel or artery carrying
blood to the brain. The normal flow of blood through
the body’s circulatory system exerts constant pressure
on blood vessels – even more so when the patient
has high blood pressure or hypertension. A blood
vessel already weakened by thinning of its wall is
at risk of developing a
balloon-like bulge susceptible
to tearing or rupturing,
an event that can cause
severe brain damage
or even death.
“We can try to identity a probable cause for a cerebral
aneurysm, but it’s difficult to know precisely why some
areas of the arterial wall are thinner than others,” explains
Dr. Somkiet Siriwimonmas, a neuroradiologist at Bumrungrad.
“It can be due to a congenital abnormality or the consequence
of another disease. While Thailand doesn’t compile statistics
on cerebral aneurysm, it is estimated that the condition is
present in about two percent of the population.”
According to Dr. Somkiet, there are a number of aspects
“ It’s impossible to
determine when the
aneurysm might rupture;
there won’t be any
symptoms to alert the
patient of the potential
threat.”
Dr. Somkiet Siriwimonmas
that add to the medical challenges of dealing with cerebral
aneurysm: It’s impossible to determine when the aneurysm
might rupture; most patients don’t know that they have an
aneurysm; and so long as the blood vessel or artery doesn’t
rupture, there won’t be any symptoms to alert the patient
of the potential threat.
Accidental detection
Detecting the presence of an aneurysm is often a case of
coincidence or chance. “Detection tends to occur in one of
three scenarios,” notes Dr. Somkiet. “The aneurysm may be
spotted by coincidence when a patient undergoes a CT scan
or MRI while being diagnosed for an unrelated condition;
sometimes it’s found after a patient experiences symptoms
resulting from the aneurysm causing compression of certain
areas of the brain; or it is discovered when the patient has
been admitted after suffering an actual stroke.”
The threat of cerebral aneurysm can feel especially
ominous due to the reality that it cannot be prevented.
Dr. Somkiet points out that while the danger has been
described as a time bomb ticking away inside the

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“ If ever you get a
headache unlike any
you’ve had before,
get to a doctor
immediately.”
Dr. Roekchai Tulyapronchote
head, “there’s no widely-used screening test to detect the
condition, and the methods that are capable of aneurysm
detection require expensive equipment, making their
widespread use impractical. Even with advanced testing,
it’s not possible to predict if or when an aneurysm will
eventually rupture,” Dr. Somkiet adds. “Not all aneurysms
end up causing strokes.”
When to treat?
Dr. Somkiet notes the distinction between patients who
have suffered a ruptured cerebral aneurysm and those whose
aneurysm has not yet ruptured. “If a cerebral aneurysm
ruptures, it’s critical for the patient to get medical attention
as quickly as possible,” he explains. “For patients who have
an aneurysm that has been detected by coincidence but
hasn’t ruptured, doctors must determine if there is a high
risk of rupture, and whether the aneurysm is located in an
area prone to more severe damage if a rupture occurred.”
Dr. Somkiet continues: “The size of the aneurysm also
must be considered; those larger than seven millimeters are
classified as high risk. We typically recommend treatment
for high-risk situations, while low-risk patients would
typically be monitored frequently for changes in the shape
or size of the aneurysm. In deciding whether to proceed
with treatment, patients should thoroughly consider and
compare the risks of having the treatment versus the inherent
risk of not receiving any type of treatment.”
There are several treatment methods that doctors consider
for patients with cerebral aneurysms. One method employs
a surgical technique to locate the aneurysm and attach a
clip to the affected area. Another surgical treatment option
involves the insertion of a catheter through the femoral
artery into the aneurysm, followed by the packing of coils
onto the affected site. Both methods share the
same objective: to prevent the weakened area
of the arterial wall from growing larger in size,
thereby reducing the risk of a dangerous rupture.
The suitability of each treatment depends
on a number of factors that can vary from
one patient to another. Every aneurysm
has a unique set of disease characteristics.
“Treatment recommendations must consider
the aneurysm’s size and location, and the
patient’s overall physical health must be
factored into the decision,” says Dr. Somkiet.
“Doctors must carefully consider each
situation on a case-by-case basis.”
Whether or not to treat
One of the more vexing questions that arises
after detection of a cerebral aneurysm is: If no
one can know with certainty whether the aneurysm will
actually rupture or not, is treatment truly necessary?
To help find an answer,
turned to Dr. Roekchai
Tulyapronchote, a neurologist specializing in neurovascular
diseases. “The treatment of cerebral aneurysm aims to
reduce the chances of a future stroke because there is no
Artery
Catheter
Balloon
Stent Angioplasty
Plaque
Closed stent
Expanded stent
Stent
Compressed plaque
Different symptoms, same danger
Not all strokes produce symptoms such as severe headaches, dizziness or loss of
consciousness. Some stroke patients experience only a severe headache which
eventually goes away – but the stroke was real. Twenty-five percent of first-time
strokes are deadly; for second-time strokes, the fatality rate is significantly higher.
10

way of knowing exactly when a stroke will occur, or what
its effects will be,” says Dr. Roekchai. “Data from clinical
research indicates that aneurysms larger than 7mm have
a high probability of rupturing at any time, while those
smaller than 7mm have a less than one percent chance of
rupture – a very insignificant risk.
“But doctors must be mindful of the fact that when
aneurysms rupture, patient mortality rates are as high as
50 percent. Even if they survive, they may face severe
paresis or paralysis for life if treatment isn’t administered
in a timely manner. Personally, I think those patients who
know they have a cerebral aneurysm are fortunate and
should seriously weigh the risks before deciding whether
to undergo treatment or not.”
Dr. Roekchai continues to treat numerous Thai and foreign
patients with cerebral aneurysms and is constantly reminded
of the serious impact that stroke has on a patient’s life. “No
one can predict with certainty whether an aneurysm will
rupture,” he notes, “or how severe the impact will be when
a rupture occurs. For me personally, if I am fully aware of
the risks for myself and have the opportunity to reduce
those risks, I would make that choice, as I have already
been witness to many very serious cases.”
Final points to ponder
When an aneurysm ruptures, time is critical. “If patients
get medical attention quickly, the potential damage to the
brain can be minimized,” Dr. Roekchai explains, “and the
risk of a stroke recurring is reduced.”
Dr. Roekchai stresses the critical lesson that his many
years’ as a doctor has taught him about stroke: “If ever
you get a headache unlike any you’ve had before, get to a
doctor immediately. We still see too many stroke patients
who, because they looked and acted normally, neglected to
seek medical treatment. Without being properly examined
by a doctor, these patients have put themselves in greater
danger of a second stroke, which is more deadly.” While
that severe headache may turn out to be a harmless event
and not a sign of stroke, the danger of a severe headache
signifying stroke is too great to dismiss without having a
doctor take a look just to be sure.
These symptoms require urgent
medical attention
Severe headache unlike any before: Everyone has
headaches from time to time. But the onset of a
sudden severe headache unlike previous headaches
requires urgent medical help.
Other signs and symptoms: The simultaneous onset
of a headache together with weakness of the limbs is
a sign of a possible stroke. Urgent medical attention
is necessary, even if the patient appears fine and is
able to walk and talk normally.
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WEIGHT MANAGEMENT
Weight management
key to avoiding
obesity’s heavy toll
As obesity rates continue rising, so does the number of people
afflicted with health problems. Successful weight control
requires a comprehensive weight management approach.
The number of overweight and obese Thais is growing
at an alarming rate. According to the latest figures
from the Ministry of Public Health, in 2011 obesity grew
at the fastest rate in a decade.
Among Asia Pacific nations, Thailand now has the fifth
highest obesity rate among people age 15 or older. If the
current pace continues, the number of overweight and obese
Thais – currently around 17 million – will grow by an
additional four million every year.
A complex issue
Losing excess weight and maintaining a healthy weight
involve much more than the numbers on a scale. The sheer
volume of conflicting information and misinformation,
aggressive marketing tactics, and people’s natural desire
for fast, painless solutions, make it even more difficult to
achieve a healthy body weight.
To get a clearer understanding of the complex issues
involved in weight loss and weight control,
turned to a team of doctors from Bumrungrad’s Weight
Management Center.
The role of fat
Dr. Chulaporn Roongpisuthipong, a US-board certified
specialist in clinical nutrition,
says the danger from obesity
is related to the excessive
amount of fat that accumulates
over time. “Our weight comes
from bones, muscle and fat;
our health is threatened by
the accumulation of body
fat, especially around the
stomach or belly.” she says
Obesity is typically
determined by the Body Mass
Index (BMI), a calculation
derived from a person’s
height and weight. Over-
weight is defined as a BMI
Dr. Chulaporn Roongpisuthipong above 25, while obesity is a
BMI above 30.
But BMI’s utility also has limitations. “It’s true that BMI
can be used to classify obese people with excessive levels
of fat. But BMI will also classify bodybuilders, athletes
and well-muscled people as being obese even though they
have little fat and aren’t in danger of suffering any obesity-
related health problems.”
Dr. Chulaporn adds that BMI will be less useful for people
with low levels of muscle mass but high levels of body
fat – a group that would receive a normal BMI score yet
be prone to obesity-related health problems. “These people
don’t appear to be obese, and their poor health often comes
as a surprise,” says Dr. Chulaporn.
Healthier weight loss
Dr. Nopawan Kittivat, a specialist in endocrinology, notes
that obesity and overweight are chronic conditions that
should be managed using an integrated approach. Such
an approach would include modifications to diet and
exercise habits.
Doctors also need to consider the option of medication
should diet and exercise fall short of achieving the desired
results. “Lifestyle modification requires motivation and
determination, but it pays off in long-term, lasting effective
ness,” says Dr. Nopawan. “A person can lose a good amount
of weight just by fasting for a
couple days, but the results
are merely temporary and the
weight usually comes back.”
That’s because the initial
weight loss comes mainly from
water and muscles. “In the
long run,” Dr. Nopawan
explains, “the patient will find
it even harder to lose weight
because they have less muscle
than before.”
Medication’s role
Dr. Nopawan has spent many
years helping obese patients
who also have metabolic
Dr. Nopawan Kittivat
conditions like diabetes and
hypertension. “When a patient’s obesity leads to health
complications, a doctor would typically recommend
medication to promote faster weight loss without causing
additional harm to overall health,” he notes. “Changing
habits sometimes isn’t always effective enough for these
patients, and exercise will be more difficult as the obesity
may be causing joint problems. Medication, therefore, is
an important option to consider.”
16

For these patients, close monitoring by their doctors is
an essential element to prevent complications or side effects.
“Treatment advances and new medical options may be
introduced over the course of time,” Dr. Nopawan explains,
“so it’s important for medical professionals to monitor
developments closely as better treatment options become
available.”
Surgical treatments
For patients having BMIs above 40 (i.e. those classified
as morbidly obese), and for obese patients having serious
health complications, faster weight loss is better weight loss.
For this group in particular, if they don’t achieve the
desire results from lifestyle modifications and prescription
medication, the next step is to consider surgical treatment
options including bariatric surgery and other weight-loss
procedures.
Bariatric surgery is a highly effective procedure with an
impressive track record for reducing a morbidly-obese
patient’s risk for future obesity-related health problems.
“In deciding whether to recommend bariatric surgery, the
main factors considered by the doctor are the patient’s BMI
and his overall health condition,” explains Dr. Theerapol
Angkoolpakdeekul, a laparoscopic surgery specialist.
“Westerners with BMIs above 40 are classified as
morbidly obese and are likely to benefit from bariatric
surgery.” he says. “Surgery may be also be an option for a
patient whose BMI is around 35, especially if the patient
also has a chronic condition such as GERD, obstructive
sleep apnea, diabetes or heart disease, or has a family
history of coronary artery disease.”
There are two main types of bariatric surgery. The first
involves a surgical reduction in the size of the stomach that
causes the patient to reduce the amount of food consumed.
Stomach size is reduced through the use of gastric banding
or by removing a portion of the stomach.
The other type of bariatric surgery involves a combination
of stomach resizing and restricting the amount of food
The 5 rules for healthy
weight control
1. Choose healthier foods and maintain control over
portion size.
2. Make exercise a built-in part of your schedule.
3. Maintain emotional balance and reduce stress
and anxiety.
4. Stay determined to change unhealthy habits.
5. Make getting enough sleep a high priority.
Did you know…?
S
ome fats are more dangerous than others.
Among the most hazardous to health is
visceral fat, the type that accumulates below
the muscular layer around the belly and
abdominal cavity, an area which includes the
liver, kidneys and intestines.
Excessive visceral fat is more likely to lead to
health problems than subcutaneous fat, a type
of fat that accumulates below the skin surface,
especially around the hips and thighs.
that’s digested. This surgery involves surgical removal of
the stomach combined with a bypass procedure.
“Years ago, bariatric surgery was a highly-invasive
procedure that resulted in significant changes to a patient’s
digestive system structure, and
there were number of potential
complications,” Dr. Theerapol
explains. “The newer generation
of procedures incorporates
less-invasive laparoscopic
technology, which causes less
physical trauma and allows
for a faster recovery.”
Lasting success
Post-surgery complications
are minimal compared to the
previous generation of surgeries.
“Most patients go home after
just a few days in the hospital,”
notes Dr. Theerapol. “Research Dr. Theerapol Angkoolpakdeekul
has shown that obese patients
who undergo the weight-loss surgery are better able to
control their weight over the long term.”
Obesity is not an issue of aesthetics or physical appearance.
It’s a medical condition and a ticking time bomb that lurks
quietly and patiently before it eventually strikes hard. Getting
your weight under control takes motivation and action. It
also requires a doctor’s close supervision to ensure you lose
the weight in a healthy way, and with the best chance for
life-long success.
18

HEALTH BRIEFS
Higher blood clot risk for
rheumatoid arthritis patients
The findings of a Swedish research study suggest that
patients with rheumatoid arthritis have a greater risk
of blood clots during the decade after the disease is
diagnosed.
Results of the study, published recently in the Journal
of the American Medical Association, are consistent with
earlier studies showing rheumatoid arthritis patients
were at higher risk of blood clots in
the legs, a condition known as
deep vein thrombosis (DVT)
or economy class syndrome.
These and other types of
clots can cause strokes and
heart attacks.
The onset of rheumatoid
arthritis typically occurs in
adults between 25 and 55
years of age. The disease
causes joint inflammation as
well as painful, stiff, swollen
joints with impaired functioning.
The study tracked 45,000
Swedish adults with rheumatoid
arthritis and a control
group. The group with
rheumatoid arthritis
experienced blood clots at nearly double the rate of those
who didn’t have the disease.
While it’s not clear that rheumatoid arthritis actually
causes blood clots, researchers suggested that the inflam-
mation resulting from rheumatoid arthritis, or its treatment,
may lead to the higher blood clot risk.
Lack of sleep may be
putting bone health at risk
A
new US study of the relationship between
sleep and bone health shows the dangers of
chronic lack of sleep: Laboratory rats that were
deprived of sleep suffered significant bone health
impairment.
The results of study, published in the journal
Experimental Biology and Medicine, reported that
a chronic lack of sleep harmed bone formation,
affected marrow generation and had a harmful
impact on marrow plasticity.
Researchers believe that, if the effects on laboratory
rats are similar to humans, the lack of sleep may
diminish the body’s ability to ward off bone-related
diseases such as osteoporosis, reduce the body’s
ability to self-repair damage to bones, and may lead
to an increase in the overall rate of bone disease.
Expanding waistlines helping gout
make a painful comeback
You don’t need to be obese to have a higher risk for gout, a form of
arthritis resulting from a build-up of uric acid crystals that leads
to joint redness and painful swelling, especially affecting the big toe as
well as feet, ankles, wrists and hands. Obesity, diabetes, high pressure
and kidney disease are known to increase uric acid production and/or
impair the body’s ability to flush uric acid from the body.
While obese people have the highest rate of gout, a new US study
shows that simply being overweight raises a person’s gout risk. In the
US, the most recent statistics from 2007 through 2010 showed the
incidence of gout was up nearly 50 percent compared to the average gout
rate from 1968 to 1994, with obese adults over three times more likely to
have gout than adults of normal weight.
Researchers estimate that a person’s gout risk increases five percent
for every 3.2kg/7 pounds of additional weight.
Uric acid crystals
20

NEWS FROM BUMRUNGRAD INTERNATIONAL
2nd charity art auction helps
heal young hearts
B
umrungrad International and the Bumrungrad Hospital
Foundation joined forces with the Cardiac Children Foundation
of Thailand and the National Health Security Office (NHSO) for
the second charity art exhibition and auction held recently at
Bumrungrad.
A group of Bumrungrad physicians and executives created
more than 200 paintings for the charity auction. Proceeds from
the event are used to provide free heart surgeries at Bumrungrad
for underprivileged Thai children and adults.
Pictured (left to right): Pawarisa Pencharti (Whan Whan); Dr. Num
Tanthuwanit, Medical Director; Dr. Pornpis Petchmunee, Bumrungrad
physician artist; Dr. Sinn Anuras, Group Medical Director; Dr. Winai
Sawasdivorn, Secretary-General, National Health Security Office
(NHSO); and Mr. Mack Banner, Hospital CEO.
Conservation efforts boosted by
“Love the Earth…Love Water”
volunteers
A
volunteer force of over 150 executives and staff from Bangkok
Insurance, Bangkok Life Assurance and Bumrungrad Inter-
national Hospital travelled to Ratchaburi province in support of
the B-happy3 “Love the Earth…Love Water” CSR initiative.
The group participated in activities for enhancing conservation
efforts for the area’s wildlife and natural resources, including
brick-making for area homes, assembling salt licks and taking
part in tasks to improve the local water supply.
Bumrungrad medical staff set up a clinic to offer free medical
care for wildlife sanctuary officers, their family members and
community residents of the Phachi River Wildlife Sanctuary.
Pictured: Mr. Voravit Rojrapitada (6th from left) Director & Company
Secretary, Bangkok Insurance PCL.; Mr. Chone Sophonpanich (7th from
left) President of Bangkok Life Assurance PCL.; and Mr. Mack Banner
(8th from left) Bumrungrad Hospital CEO.
Helping to heal hearts in need
B
umrungrad’s Rak Jai Thai charity program was created
by the Bumrungrad Hospital Foundation, in conjunction
with Bumrungrad International, the Cardiac Children
Foundation of Thailand and Thailand’s National Health
Security Office (NHSO) to heal hearts in need.
Since the program’s inception, Bumrungrad surgeons and
medical staff have donated their time and medical supplies
to provide free surgeries for needy Thai children and adults
suffering from congenital heart defects and valvular heart
disease who lack access to much-needed surgical treatments.
So far, the program has provided
free surgeries to more than 660
patients. A typical heart
operation would normally
cost around Baht 500,000.
The program welcomes
donations from the public in
support of its efforts. Donations
can be made via the following
channels:
Online at www.bumrungrad.com/onlinedonation or
By bank transfer to the Bumrungrad Hospital Foundation
(Bangkok Bank savings account # 197-0-111157,
Nana Nua branch).
Please submit a copy of your bank transfer confirmation
receipt to Bumrungrad’s accounting department located
on the hospital’s 4th floor, or you may fax a copy to
0 2667 2031.
Bumrungrad International among Top
50 companies for CSR activities
B
umrungrad International was honored as
one of Thailand’s 50 leading companies for
Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) practices.
The companies were selected by the Thaipat
Institute. More details can be found in the “CSR
Thailand: 50 Good Practices in 2012” report
published by the Thai Listed Companies
Association (TLCA) CSR Club.
22