COMMUNITY Oban


Hyperbaric Chamber at


Oban MS Centre T


HE PEOPLE of Oban and Lorn consistently


demonstrate a willing- ness to support charities – from taking on a feat of human endurance to throwing a few pennies into a silver collection. However, not many causes are as consistently well sup- ported as Oban Multiple Scle- rosis (MS) Therapy Centre. With two members of staff, working a combined 30 hours a week and a team of 26 vol- unteers, the centre, situated at Glencruitten, is open through- out the week when it treats up to 30 clients for a variety of ill- nesses. People of all ages with MS, ul- cers, wounds, autism, epilep- sy and migraines have all been to the centre for treatment in the charity’s Barochamber. The air inside the chamber is pressurised, while clients breath in pure oxygen. This al-


lows more oxygen to get into the blood cells and assists the body’s recovery powers. Clients leaves feeling re-en- ergised after a one-hour ses- sion. Staff member Sandra Owens said: ‘The centre was opened after a huge fundraising cam- paign by people in Oban who were suffering from MS. ‘The nearest treatment cen- tres were in Fort William and Lochgilphead but MS causes people to feel fatigued and the long journeys would undo some of the good work the treatment had done. ‘The chamber will not provide a cure, but it helps to remove symptoms and improves qual- ity of life. ‘The goodwill still continues today and we rely completely on donations; we have no public funding. I am still sur- prised at how generous peo- ple can be.’


receiving


Sandra, who suffers from mul- tiple sclerosis, first got involved with the charity after


treatment herself. She said: ‘When I was diag- nosed I heard that this treat- ment had worked for other people so I had no hesitation in coming along. ‘It is a thought when you first go into the chamber, but we are here to help put people at ease and show them how everything works. ‘In the chamber you wear an oxygen mask and most peo- ple bring along a book or a Sudoku puzzle to pass the time. ‘Most people have an initial 20 sessions over consecu- tive week days, then come for weekly top-ups.’ The building was opened by Janice Alcorn, who was one of the driving forces behind the establishment of the char- ity in Oban.


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