Docs Outside The Box - Ordinary Doctors Doing Extraordinary Things

We all know that literacy is very important, because it’s connected to how we interact in the world and has a large impact in how we do economically in society. In developing countries, childhood literacy is a problem and my next guest has decided to do something about this issue. Dr. Akua Ampadu is the founder and CEO of Healing Words Foundation. The mission of Healing Words is to provide books and other forms of literacy to children in pediatric wards and outpatient clinics in developing nations. On a 4th year medical student externship in Accra, Ghana, Akua noticed on the pediatric ward that after being seen by doctors and staff – these children spent hours in bed without anything to do. Some of these children spent several weeks recovering in these wards, and without proper cognitive stimulation, these children were at a distinct disadvantage when they returned back to school. This experience sparked the idea for creating a charity and she literally Googled her way into creating Healing Words. From the