THE HAPPINESS OF GIVING
In light of International Women’s Day today, Life sat down with the female director of Ramathibodi Foundation and discussed her mission to bring hope to impoverished patients across Thailand
The seed of becoming a philanthropist was first sewn in Punsiree Kunakornpaiboonsiri’s heart when she accompanied her family to donate clothes and goods to tribal communities in the north as a child.
Little did she realise that this would eventually play an integral part in her decision to one day manage the Ramathibodi Foundation, which for 52 years has been providing care for millions of patients. Since many patients cannot afford expensive medical treatment, this is where the Foundation steps in to help.
Now 38 years old, Punsiree has worked relentlessly for 14 years to infuse the Foundation with a system in which everyone works for the common goal of improving the quality of other people’s lives. Over the last decade, she has become one of the key driving forces for the foundation’s countless charitable projects, from raising funds to supporting the operation and mission of the Faculty of Medicine Ramathibodi Hospital, Mahidol University, to assisting medical students with the financial aid needed to achieve their goals of becoming doctors.
Just recently, Punsiree was made the adviser to the Director of Chakri Naruebodindra Medical Institute where she works hand-in-hand with the institute’s director and his team to plan fundraisers in the fight against Covid-19.
“My decision to be with the foundation for this long is the result of experiences I had when I first worked as a volunteer,” she said. “Each experience made me want to improve the quality of healthcare and improve the quality of other people’s lives. I place a lot of value in a person’s quality of life and my motto has always been to spread kindness to the people around you and yes, also be kind to yourself.”
Through fundraising events and collaboration with other organisations and partners, the Ramathibodi Foundation raises money to support those in need — often shouldering the expenses of medical treatments that require a lot of money. Besides this, it also plays an active role in helping the downtrodden become self-dependent and gather medical support for those in crowded communities who are not able to receive hospital care. The foundation is also leading fundraising activities to generate revenue for the building of community hospitals.
Since Punsiree took the helm at the Ramathibodi Foundation, it has undergone significant changes and adopted a more systematic structure and workflow. This is because she believes that besides fundraising, her role is to make sure that the organisation thrives in the long run and not just under her management.
“I believe one highlight would be when we were able to collectively agree on the fact that each organisation is unique and that there are various methods you can create to reach the path to success. I have been given an incredible opportunity to deliver on my goals which comes with its own set of challenges. This includes the unknown and unfamiliar procedures and systems which were all challenges I once faced.
“Of course, there were proud moments during the beginning of my career with the foundation as well since I was able to lead new initiatives and bring perspective to the organisation. I thrive under such experiences and they drive me to perform at my best.”
Punsiree was delighted with the impact her fundraising projects have made on the lives of people. It was the result of blood, sweat, and tears, but every moment was worth it, she said.
To achieve these goals, she recalls having to work under enormous pressure and how that helped build her ability to go the extra mile to achieve her goals. This also taught her about the importance of creating a collaborative team that shares common beliefs and works towards goals that eventually help achieve results.
“As my experiences have grown, so has my approach towards non-profit sustainability. It helped me ensure the sustainability of non-profit programmes, achieve the foundation’s long-term outcome goals, and practise good corporate governance. A moment of great pride for me was when I was able to bring the foundation to work in the ‘present’ and make it relatable to the current generation, thus improving not just its image but also increasing its value in the eyes of the public.”
Punsiree shared three projects that turned out to be most memorable in her career so far. She picked the fundraising campaign for “Somdech Phra Debaratana Medical Center” as her favourite as she led this project from day one. It brought her immense joy to learn that the building would be helpful for underprivileged patients. Today, approximately one million patients visit the medical centre each year.
The next project close to her heart was “Lending A Helping Hand To Impoverished Patients”.
“Working on this project was very special as every time a person donated for this cause gave me joy. Offering a helping hand through gift-giving not only provides both the giver and the receiver mutual happiness but also provides a new lease on life for countless impoverished patients,” she said.
Last but not least was the charitable campaign to support the Chakri Naruebodindra Medical Institute (CNMI), a beacon of hope and a new shelter for all Thais when it comes to medical care. It also functions as a school for medical students, nursing students, and medical professors to gain all the knowledge they require in the field of medicine.
“It was a great pleasure to be part of this because as one of the leading medical institutes, CNMI has called for betters standards regarding medical professionalism, including stronger public advocacy, a commitment to healthcare, and greater community engagement as the future is not only in the hospital but also in the heart of the community. I believe that the support for this project was another great way to enhance the health of the Thai people and the community.”
Punsiree said the people she has had the honour to work with over the years have helped her to become the person she is today.
“That would be everyone I have worked with so far because I do believe in ‘lead by example’. I have learned that a great way to give back is to pass it forward and that small actions also matter. From the patients, donors, healthcare professionals to the foundation’s officers, everyone has shown me that opportunities to give are endless and can come in various forms. They have shown me the best practices for making an organisation operationally effective and for making our community and country better in return.”