159 countries are following Lumiere Charity blogs at present
Blessings on you all
Wednesday, September 2, 2026
159 COUNTRIES ARE FOLLOWING LUMIERE CHARITY BLOGS AT PRESENT
Saturday, August 29, 2026
VISIONS FROM INDIA - ART BOOK: FOREWORD
VISIONS FROM INDIA
ART BOOK
This
book is dedicated with gratitude to Saint Francis Xavier,
Apostle
of the Indies and Japan, a Patron of the Missions
FOREWORD
India is a land where beauty and spirituality have journeyed together throughout the centuries. Sacred places, vibrant communities, and majestic landscapes bear witness to the splendour of India and the glory of creation.
The images within these pages are cameos of treasured memories, gathered throughout the years. Each image seeks to capture the outward beauty of India, as well as the spiritual riches that lie within.
Throughout the ages, India's sacred wisdom has touched countless hearts with teaching, healing and hope. May this collection honour the beauty, depth and richness of India's cultural and spiritual heritage.
TO ACCESS THIS BOOK
PLEASE CLICK IN THE LINK BELOW
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1WHRE1ygjJfRvP7wqBnqAKY09ccpfOCNp/view?usp=sharing
Image "Visions from India" courtesy of ChatGPT with CN Whittle
INJURIES AND DEATHS LINKED TO ROBOTIC SURGERY; ALLEGED NEWS
ROBOTIC SURGERY HAS BEEN LINKED TO INJURIES AND DEATHS; ALLEGED NEWS. [1] In 2015, it was reported that a study into the safety of surgical robots linked the machines' use to at least 144 deaths, and more than 1,000 injuries over a 14-year period in the United States of America; Alleged News. [1] The events included broken instruments falling into patients' bodies, electrical sparks causing tissue burns and system errors making surgery take longer than planned; Alleged News. [1] The study was carried out by researchers at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Chicago's Rush University Medical Center; Alleged News. [1]
Their paper said that 144 deaths, 1,391 injuries and 8,061 device malfunctions were recorded regarding robotic procedures carried out between January 2000 and December 2013; Alleged News. [1] This was based on reports submitted by hospitals, patients, device manufacturers and others to the US Food and Drug Administration, and the study noted that the true number could be higher; Alleged News. [1]
Also in 2015, it was reported by Doctors Health Press that robot-assisted surgery was linked to 10,000 injuries, malfunctions and deaths, according to FDA report; Alleged News. [2] The robots were involved in a number of patient injuries and deaths, according to a U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) report, involving over 10,000 incidents; Alleged News. [2]
MAUDE database
The data was collected from the Manufacturer and User Facility Device Experience (MAUDE), a database where physicians, patients, and manufacturers report adverse events suspected to be caused by medical devices; Alleged News. [2]
The Doctors Health Press article noted as well, that surgical robots were reported as being involved in 144 deaths, 1,391 injuries and 8,061 device malfunctions that either extended the surgery, or forced it to be switched to a non-robotic procedure; Alleged News. [2] Due to changes in reporting practices and the fact that doctors, patients, and users may underreport, (it is only mandatory for manufacturers), these numbers were considered low-end estimations; Alleged News. [2]
Deaths, injuries, malfunctions
Among the deaths reported, 62% were attributed to to device malfunctions; Alleged News. [2] These malfunctions consisted of burnt or broken fragments of tools falling into the patient, electrical sparking or arcs, and the robot making an unexpected movement; Alleged News. [2] Similar rates were found for patient injuries in robotic procedures; Alleged News. [2]
Between 2007 and the time of the Doctors Health Press report in 2015, the annual rate of these injuries and deaths had been relatively constant; Alleged News. [2] Among specialties, gynaecology and urology procedures had the lowest rate of injury or death from the robotic procedures, and cardiothoracic or neck operations had the highest; Alleged News. [2]
In a study "Adverse events and device malfunctions in da Vinci robotic surgery: an analysis of MAUDE data from the recent decade" - published 10 December 2025 - Hsieh et.al. wrote that The United States Food and Drug Administration Manufacturer and User Facility Device Experience (MAUDE) database provides a useful resource for characterizing malfunctions and safety outcomes across platforms; Alleged News. [3]
MAUDE reports
For purposes of the Hsieh et.al. study, MAUDE reports involving da Vinci surgical systems from January 2015 to January 2025 were reviewed; Alleged News. [3] Events were classified as malfunctions, injuries, or deaths, with malfunctions further characterized by type; Alleged News. [3] Conversions and procedure abortions were identified and analyzed; Alleged News. [3] The rates of adverse events were calculated and compared between robotic platforms; Alleged News. [3] Among da Vinci robotic surgeries performed during the study period, 66,651 MAUDE reports were identified; Alleged News. [3] There were 420.1 MAUDE reports, including 55.2 injuries, 3.1 deaths, 21.8 conversions, and 2.1 procedure abortion events, per 100,000 procedures; Alleged News. [3]
Compared with the da Vinci X/Xi, the da Vinci SP showed significantly higher risks of reported injury (RR29.9, P<0.001). death (RR 6.2, P< 0.001), conversion (RR9.4, P<0.001), and procedure abortion (RR16.1, P<0.001); Alleged News. [3]
Wrongful death lawsuit in Florida
A robotic device burned and tore a woman's small intestine while she was undergoing surgery for colon cancer, according to a wrongful death lawsuit filed during February, 2024, in Florida; Alleged News. [4] Mrs Sandra Sultzer developed abdominal pain and fever after her surgery in September 2021, and she needed additional procedures to close the tear, the lawsuit said; Alleged News. [4] The suit said she died in February 2022, because of the small intestine injury; Alleged News. [4] Her husband, Mr Harvey Sultzer, sued the maker of the device, Intuitive Surgical, for damages; Alleged News. [4]
The suit alleged that Intuitive Surgical knew the robot had insulation problems that might cause electricity to leak out, and burn internal organs, but did not disclose that risk to the Sultzers or the public; Alleged News. [4]
The suit further alleged that Intuitive had received thousands of reports about injuries and defects associated with the da Vinci; Alleged News. [4] A 2014 financial report that Intuitive filed with the Securities and Exchange commission said the company at the time, was a defendant in around 93 lawsuits; Alleged News. [4] The plaintiffs in about 93 lawsuits "allege that they or a family member underwent surgical procedures that utilized the da Vinci Surgical System, and sustained a variety of personal injuries, and, in some cases, death as a result of such surgery, " the company wrote; Alleged News. [4]
According to Sultzer's lawsuit, Intuitive received hundreds of complaints and reports about its da Vinci robot from July 2009 to December 2011; Alleged News. [4] Many of the reports mention cracks or slits on a rubber tip used to cover da Vinci's metal instruments, the suit said, adding that the defects allowed electricity to escape without surgeons' knowledge; Alleged News. [4]
In 2011, researchers from the University of Western Ontario flagged safety concerns with the device's surgical instruments in a study; Alleged News. [4] The researchers tested 37 instruments and found that all of them had "energy leakage", which in some cases they determined was sufficient to cause electrical burns; Alleged News. [4]
Study by Mendez-Probst et.al.
In the study "Stray electrical currents in laparascopic instruments used in da Vinci ® robot-assisted surgery: an in-vitro study," Mendez-Probst et al., stated as abstract the following four;
1. Background and purpose, 2. materials and methods, 3. results, 4. conclusions. [5]
"Background and purpose: The da Vinci (®) surgical system requires the use of electrosurgical instruments. The re-use of such instruments creates the potential for stray electrical currents from capacitive coupling and/or insulation failure. We" (Mendez-Probst et al). "used objective measures to report the prevalence and magnitude of such stray currents"; Alleged News. [5]
"Materials and methods: Thirty-seven robotic instruments were tested using an electrosurgical unit (ESU) at pure coagulation and cut waveforms at four different settings. Conductive gel-coated instruments were tested at 40W, 80W, and maximum ESU output (coagulation 120W, cut 300W). The magnitude of stray currents was measured by an electrosurgical analyzer"; Alleged News. [5]
"Results: At coagulation waveform in open air, 86% of instruments leaked a mean of 0.4W. In the presence of gel-coated instruments, stray currents were detected in all instruments with means (and standard deviation) of 3.4W (± 2), 4.1W (± 2.3), and 4.1W (± 2.3), at 40W, 80W, and 120 W, respectively. At cut waveform in open air, none of the instruments leaked current, while gel-coated instruments leaked a mean of 2.2W (± 1.3), 2.2W (± 1.9) and 3.2W (± 1.9) at 40W, 80W, and 300W, respectively"; Alleged News. [5]
The conclusions of Mendez-Probst et.al., were as follows; "All tested instruments in our study demonstrated energy leakage. Stray currents were higher during coagulation (high voltage) waveforms, and the magnitude was not always proportionate to the ESU settings. Stray currents have the potential to cause electrical burns. We support the programmed end of life of da Vinci instruments on the basis of safety. Consideration should be given to alternate energy sources or the adoption of active electrode monitoring technology to all monopolar instruments," Alleged News. [5]
Burns, injuries, damaged colon, burned uterus
A 2018 NBC News analysis identified more than 20,000 adverse events related to the da Vinci in the 10 years prior to 2018, based on reports filed to the FDA's MAUDE database; Alleged News. [4] Most of the reports were related to malfunctions, some of which were minor; Alleged News. [4] 2,000 reports cited injuries, and 274 involved deaths; Alleged News. [4]
In total, more than a dozen patients told NBC News in 2018, that they were burned or injured during procedures that involved the da Vinci; Alleged News. [4] One woman's medical records showed that her colon was damaged, and that her uterus was burned during a 2015 hysterectomy involving the robot; Alleged News. [4]
[1] BBC News. Robotic surgery linked to 144 deaths in the US: Alleged News
https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-33609495
[2]Newman, Adrian, B.A. Doctor Health Express. Robot-Assisted Surgery linked to 10,000 injuries, malfunctions, and deaths; FDA reports; Alleged News
[3] Journal of Robotic Surgery. Hsieh, Tsung-Yi et.al. Adverse events and device malfunctions in da Vinci robotic surgery: an analysis of MAUDE data from the recent decade; Alleged News
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11701-025-02947-5
[4] Robotic device burned a woman's small intestine during surgery, lawsuit alleges; Alleged News
[5] National Library of Medicine. Mendez-Probst, et.al. "Stray electrical currents in laparascopic instruments used in da Vinci ® robot-assisted surgery: an in-vitro study," Alleged News
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21815828/
With thanks to bbc.com, doctorshealthpress.com, link.springer.com, nbcnews.com and pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
Image courtesy of ChatGPT with CN Whittle
Saturday, August 15, 2026
158 COUNTRIES ARE FOLLOWING LUMIERE CHARITY BLOGS AT PRESENT
158 countries are following Lumiere Charity blogs at present
Blessings on you all
Friday, August 14, 2026
MOM'S KITCHEN - EASY BAKED POTATO
Allergy alert; Before starting the recipe, check first that you and those you cook for, have no allergies to potatoes.
If you are allergic to potatoes, then don't use this recipe.
Ingredient:
Large potatoes with their skins left on
Method;
Clean the potatoes in fresh water. Dry the potatoes, and cut off any slight blemishes on the potato skins. Prick the potatoes with a fork, do this all the way down all sides and tops of the potatoes. Also pierce the areas where you cut off potato skin. Make sure the fork pierces the potato to a good depth.
Once the potatoes have been properly pierced, place them in a microwavable dish, with a suitable microwave cover. Microwave on high for five minutes. Open the microwave, remove the microwave cover, and carefully turn the potatoes to the other side. Cover once more with the microwave cover, and microwave on high for five to eight minutes (until the potatoes are fully cooked). Pierce the potatoes with a knife, to check that they are properly done. If the potato is still a little hard, microwave for a minute or two more, until they are fully cooked. If wished, serve the potatoes with a little butter or margarine, pinch of salt; and with side vegetables.
Enjoy!
Image courtesy of ChatGPT with CN Whittle "Baked potato with garden vegetables"
MOM''S KITCHEN - EASY FLAPJACKS (GLUTEN-FREE, VEGETARIAN FRIENDLY)
Allergy alert; Before starting the recipe, check first that you and those you cook for, have no allergies to any of the ingredients.
If you are allergic to any of the ingredients, then don't use this recipe.
Ingredients:
1 ripe banana
2 cups gluten-free flour
Half teaspoon salt
1 egg
Half cup milk mixed with half cup water
One-eighth of cup of sugar
Method:
Mix the flour, salt and sugar together in a large bowl. Add the milk and water and egg, and stir with a fork until well mixed. Mash one banana, and add to the mixture. Stir well. Put a small amount of butter or margarine in a frying pan, and allow to melt. Tilt the frying pan, until the butter or margarine has coated the bottom.
Put two tablespoons of the flapjack mixture in the frying pan, and allow to become light brown. Then turn the flapjack over with a grill spatula and brown the other side. Make sure that the flapjack is cooked through.
You do not need to re-grease the pan - only grease for the first flapjack. Cook the later flapjacks on dry heat within the frying pan. Do this on a low heat on your oven plate. Once the flapjack is fully cooked, remove and place on a plate. Continue, until all your flapjacks are cooked. Allow to cool.
You can freeze the flapjacks. Simply cover each one individually with tinfoil once they are cooled, and place in the freezer. Do not keep for too long. When you want to eat a flapjack, remove from the freezer, remove the tinfoil, and place the flapjack on a microwave-suitable plate. Cover with microwave cover, and just heat the flapjack for two minutes on high. You can eat the flapjacks with butter or margarine, and jam.
Enjoy!
Image courtesy of ChatGPT with CN Whittle "Flapjacks in skillet'"
Monday, August 10, 2026
VISIONS FROM THE VELDT - ART BOOK: FOREWORD
VISIONS FROM THE VELDT
ART BOOK
This book is
dedicated to Bishop Gerard Marie Franciscus van Velsen, O.P.
In thanksgiving
for the churches, colleges for boys and girls, and artistic endeavours
he fostered in South Africa. May his legacy
continue to inspire faith, knowledge,
and beauty in
the service of God
Foreword
Africa
is a land of breathtaking beauty, where golden grasslands meet distant
mountains. Mighty rivers nourish the earth, beneath vast skies ablaze with
sunrise and stars. The breathtaking beauty of creation serves as timeless
reminder of the infinite wisdom, goodness, and Divine artistry of the Creator
of heaven and earth. Every human person, each landscape and every living
creature bear the imprint of God’s loving Hand.
As
we journey through life, God speaks quietly through the world He has made.
Every scene within this book invites us to pause, wonder, and to draw closer to
the One from whom all beauty flows.
The
images within these pages are cameos of treasured memories gathered throughout
the years. Each image seeks to capture the outward beauty of Africa, as well as
the spiritual messages that lie within.
May
this collection bring joy, peace and inspiration to all who turn its pages. At
times artistic images offer inspiration for hearts to seek Lord Jesus with
greater devotion. It would be true blessing if each reader were to recognize
the Creator's loving Hand in the beauty that surrounds us, and to seek ever
more earnestly the God Who is Beauty itself.
TO ACCESS THIS BOOK
PLEASE CLICK IN THE LINK BELOW
https://drive.google.com/file/d/19rRGjsF1232JAjoBO0Sp9U-PdMTdfq2E/view?usp=sharing
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