Getting up close and personal

VOLUME 2, WINTER 2009
IMPROVING LIVES THROUGH MEDICAL MISSIONS
Getting up close and personal
Teen writes of her
experiences as a
volunteer in Peru
BY ANNEMARIE KEMP
Patient and
volunteer stories
from the field
Editor’s note: In the
fast-paced world of
medicine, it’s easy to
find statistics about
patient care. Harder to
do, particularly in 21st
century healthcare –
governed by rules and
regulations related to
patient privacy – is to
find stories about
actual patients. But for
many of the volunteers
who participate in
10-YEAR-OLD CYNTHIA SHARES A HUG WITH NEWSLETTER EDITOR AND CGHI
Centura Global Health VOLUNTEER ANNE KEMP
Initiatives medical
mission trips, it is these patients’ stories
that leave the most lasting impression.
Elke is an attractive, soft-spoken woman,
Periodically, Amazing Journeys offers
possibly in her 30s (she’s not exactly sure
profiles of the patients who are part of the
of her age). She attends a health clinic
landscape of the medical mission program.
in Manco Capac, a relatively large village
This article shares the stories of three such
of approximately 200 families along the
patients during the August, 2009 medical
Amazon River one hour by fast boat
mission trip to Iquitos, Peru attended mainfrom Iquitos. She is waiting for her
ly by physicians, staff and volunteers from
daughter to be seen
Parker Adventist Hospital.
Continued on page 2
BY ALEX CATTICH
I always had a desire to travel out
of the country, but quite frankly I
thought it would be to France, Italy
or Mexico, places where a lot of
people travel for fun. However,
when my mother proposed the idea
of going to Peru, I had no idea
what this trip would actually consist
of. Really, all I knew about Peru was
that it was in South America and
that the people spoke Spanish.
Because I didn’t know much about
what my role would be I was really
Cynthia
ALEX AND CHILD
Continued on page 4
TABLE OF CONTENTS
1
> People’s
Stories
Changing
lives
Alex’s Insights
I would do it
again in a
heartbeat...”
2
> Greg’s
Jungle
Notes
5
> All I Want For
Christmas
Meaningful giving,
unforgettable help
6
> News & Notes
A birdseye view of what’s
going on in each country
People’s stories Continued from page 1
Jungle notes
Ever since our medical mission project began in
Peru in 2006, I have felt the need of having someone on-site who could work full-time to coordinate our activities along the Amazon and Napo
Rivers, as well as to follow-up with patients who
need additional care and to provide education to
villagers. This idea was confirmed by our “blueribbon” panel of experts who drafted a three-year
Action Plan which listed this on-site health coordinator as one of the first priorities in developing an
effective program.
by one of the volunteer physicians. Elke, heavy with
child, already has four active daughters playing at her
feet. One in particular has commanded the attention of
the volunteers – she is Cynthia, who will become well
known to the team over the days to come. Off in a
corner of the open-air cement school building that is
serving as a makeshift clinic is a small stash of stuffed
animals, set aside for children who are terrified of the
doctors or who are ill and in need of something to
cuddle. Cynthia has spotted one and is loudly making
her interest known.
The volunteers are riveted by her – first for the noise in
this stifling, humid building; second, for her appearance. While ten years of age, Cynthia weighs only
22 pounds. She is dainty, almost doll-like. Her sisters
take turns carrying her as she’s not strong enough to
walk unassisted.
After several months of searching, I am pleased to
announce that Jimmy Barrera has been employed
as Centura Health’s on-site health coordinator in
Iquitos, Peru. Jimmy has worked for several years
with foreign teams who come to Iquitos for various projects, as well as having lived in the United
States for two years. Jimmy has some great qualities to bring to this job, and I am excited that he
has accepted our offer.
As you can imagine, though, Jimmy’s employment
comes at a price. We need to raise $12,000 for
Jimmy’s salary and travel
expenses in 2010. Being
able to travel to the various villages along the
river is expensive…more
than the cost of Jimmy’s
salary. Yet these visits to
the villages are key to a
successful program.
JIMMY BARRERA IS CENTURA’S
You will find a list of
NEW HEALTH COORDINATOR
project needs in this
IN IQUITOS, PERU.
edition of the Amazing
Journeys newsletter. Jimmy is just one of the
needs we have in the various countries where
Centura Health is active. Please be generous in
your support of these projects.
Greg Hodgson
Director, Global Health Initiatives
ELKE & CYNTHIA. MANY CHILDREN IN THE AMAZON RAINFOREST NEVER
SEE THE INSIDE OF A HOSPITAL, OR A STUFFED ANIMAL – AFTER THIS VISIT
TO CLINICA ANA STAHL, CYNTHIA CAN LAY CLAIM TO BOTH “FIRSTS”
Dr. Todd Mydler, pediatrician and chief medical officer
at Porter Adventist Hospital, is the first to examine
Cynthia. He takes note of Elke’s pregnancy with Cynthia
and the birth process. Dr. Mydler is concerned about a
possible heart murmur. With the encouragement of the
local technico and midwife in the village, Elke is convinced to take Cynthia to Clinica Ana Stahl. The volunteers quickly assemble enough money (about 70 soles,
or $25 US) to cover the cost of their trip and an
overnight stay at the hospital. Will Elke use the money
for its intended purpose?
Upon returning to the hospital the next day, the team
is relieved to learn that Cynthia and her mother had
2
come and were resting after a day of scans, blood work and
x-rays. Dr. Mydler consulted with Dr. J. Flores, the staff
pediatrician at Clinica Ana Stahl. Dr. Flores suspects Dubowitz
Syndrome, a rare genetic
condition. Although the heart
murmur is confirmed, it is not
a great health risk.
have this surgery. She was overwhelmed when her child was
born and had no idea how to care for a child with a cleft lip.
Sandra feels that her baby’s opportunity to receive treatment by
the medical mission team was
a special gift.
Lauro
Elke is very grateful to Dr.
Mydler and Clinica Ana Stahl
for their diagnosis. Ever since
Cynthia was born Elke wondered what was wrong with
her child. It will be a long trip
home, but Elke is eager to
share the good news that,
despite her genetic condition,
Cynthia is well.
Lauro has a story to tell, and
he’s eager for you to hear it –
in detail. He is an animated
65-year-old widower who lives
about four hours by fast boat
from Iquitos on the Rio Itaya.
Lauro is a cane farmer who suffered from a hernia, making it
virtually impossible for him to
cut cane, firewood, or raise
crops. He was brought by a
naval boat to Iquitos for medical care at the government-run
BABY BRUCE DEMONSTRATES HIS MOUTH IS WORKING PERFECTLY AFTER CLEFT
It is hard to believe that the
LIP REPAIR.
hospital because his niece
chubby, squealing five-monthGabby lives in Iquitos. He spent
old baby sitting in his mother’s
the last year raising chickens to sell in Iquitos to pay for his surlap had cleft lip surgery less than eight weeks ago. Aside from a
gery. When he arrived at the government hospital, he was devsmall blister that has developed below his nostril, Bruce has no
astated to learn the he didn’t even have enough money (180
visible signs of a scar. Dr. Victoria King, otolaryngologist and
soles, or $60 US) to buy undergarments to relieve his pain.
chief medical officer at St. Thomas More Hospital in Cañon
Lauro was referred to Clinica Ana Stahl by a nurse at the governCity, performed surgery on Bruce in June. Due to the transient
ment hospital because she’d heard that American doctors were
nature of medical mission work, Dr. King was unable to follow
in town to operate. In fact, the mission trip physicians are often
up with her patient once she returned to Colorado. The baby’s
invited to appear on local TV during the
care was turned over to the staff at
course of their stay, making news of their
Clinica Ana Stahl.
work well known around the city.
One of the challenges of medical mission
Lauro came to the emergency room at
work is continuity of care. While the visitClinica Ana Stahl in terrible pain. Dr. John
ing surgeons and physicians do their best
Sun, proctologist and general surgeon at
to bring colleagues at the local hospitals
Parker Adventist Hospital, examined and
up to speed regarding treatment plans,
eventually operated on Lauro. His appreeven routine post-op care can be a
ciation is effusive; his emotions, contachallenge. By US standards, the cost of
gious. Upon discharge, Lauro sought out
medical treatment in Peru is nominal, but
CGHI director, Greg Hodgson, for one
remains out of reach for many sick peomore chance to say thank you to the
ple. Patients seen by volunteer teams have
team for his life-altering surgery. Decked
their costs covered by the mission proout in a red baseball hat with a sparkly
gram and are considered “charity care”
butterfly on the brim, Lauro exclaims
by the hospital. Keeping track of patients
that without the medical mission team,
for follow up care can be a daunting task,
he would be dead. As Gabby helps her
but for Bruce, follow-up with the next
grateful uncle to the exit, she turns
visiting team wasn’t an issue.
back to whisper a less effusive but
Bruce’s mother, Sandra, talked about
A RARE REFLECTIVE MOMENT FOR GRATEFUL PATIENT LAURO. genuine,“Gracias.”
what it meant to her family for Bruce to
Bruce
3
Teen’s experiences Continued from page 1
not all that excited to go, but this was just at the beginning.
As our “take-off date” slowly came closer, I began to realize
that I would be in a different part of the world, in a different
hemisphere, and in a place that not many of my friends will
ever get to see.
You can’t cry, you can’t feel sorry, you can’t sympathize, you
can’t take one child home, you simply feel helpless. But when
you give them something as simple as soap, you feel like you
are a part of a moment that made their life better. We distributed toothbrushes and toothpaste, as well as soap. All the parents and kids were so welcoming to us, and they
loved the games and activities that we taught them.
My mother’s group went out on the river everyday
as well. They distributed vitamins and they did basic
check-ups on hundreds of villagers. We also had a
surgical team with us, but they stayed at Clinica Ana
Stahl every day. They performed over 30 surgeries
in five days! It was so cool to hear the final numbers
of the people and villages that we helped. Although
it was super humid and hot, and we sweated buckets every hour, the effect on us as the privileged
people from America, and the effect on the villagers
is life changing.
As we think of how other people are suffering, we
stop worrying about ourselves and our own probBELEN - A FLOATING “SHANTYTOWN” ON THE OUTSKIRTS OF IQUITOS ALONG
lems seem less consequential. When I saw these little kids who
A TRIBUTARY OF THE AMAZON RIVER.
may not have eaten in a day, or only had one pair of clothes
that were ripped and no shoes, my own personal problems of
Once we arrived in Iquitos, after a day of sightseeing in Lima,
trying to fit in with the world of high school seemed shallow in
we piled into two vans and headed to our hotel. As I looked
comparison. I was astounded when I heard my mother talk
out the window I saw things I never dreamed of like a family of
about some of the villagers’ life stories she had heard. She met
four balanced precariously on a motorcycle.
an elderly woman
Another strange site was to see the houses
in one of the vilthat many of the families lived in. These
lages who was 74
ramshackle houses made by recovered
years old and she
materials like old bare wood and corrugated
had lived in the
metal, looked like they could be destroyed
village her whole
in just one wind storm. I was in awe that
life, so that is all
people could actually live like this and it
she knew. She had
made me pause and reflect on the blessings
14 kids and only
that I have.
four are living to
During my ten day mission trip, a group of
this day. I cannot
seven teens and I set out each morning to
even begin to
teach villagers basic hygiene such as brushimagine what my
ing their teeth and washing their hands. At
life would be like
one of the villages, I was helping a beautiful
if I was born into
little girl wash her hands. When I grabbed
a family that
her hands I realized she only had one hand,
lived on the
LEFT TO RIGHT: ANNIE HODGSON (12), AUTHOR ALEX (15) AND KATIE KEMP (12)
the other one was just a stub. This little girl WITH A GROUP OF CHILDREN IN ONE OF THE VILLAGES.
Amazon River.
could not have been more than 5 years old.
This experience to
As much as I wanted to cry I knew I couldn’t. At those very
me was life changing, and I would do it again in a heartbeat.
moments I realized that no matter what our imperfections may
I believe that everyone needs an opportunity like this that will
be or where we live, we are all equal. While we were helping
change their worldly perspective. I have truly been personally
and playing with the children in the villages, I gained a new
blessed by this opportunity to serve in a far away country, and
feeling of love towards these people that I had never before
I also know that language need not be a barrier.
felt: service to others felt wonderful.
4
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Every gift counts.
A contribution in any amount, directed
to the project of your choice or to the
Global Health Initiatives general fund,
is greatly appreciated.
To make a gift:
• Return the enclosed response envelope
with a check or credit card information
• Check by mail to:
Centura Global Health Initiatives
7995 E. Prentice Avenue, Ste. 204
Greenwood Village, CO 80111
• Online at www.centuraglobalhealth.org
All contributions to Centura Global Health
Initiative are tax-deductible to the amount
allowed by law. Our tax-exempt ID number
is 84-0745018. For questions regarding
charitable contributions, contact your
tax professional.
5
N E W S
:PEOPLE:
Dr. John Sun received the first Parker
Adventist Hospital Humanitarian
Award at a Physician Celebration dinner
sponsored by the Physician Well-Being
Committee on October 15. Dr. Sun is a
colorectal specialist and general surgeon
who has been very active in international medical mission projects throughout
his career. In May 2009, Dr. Sun and his
:PLACES:
PERU
&
N O T E S
sister, Dr. Susanna Choi (Chair
of the Department of Woman
and Children Services at Parker),
participated in a medical mission to North Korea. In August,
Dr. Sun and his son, Gabriel,
joined the Centura Health medical mission to Peru. Dr. Sun
exemplifies Centura’s mission of
extending the healing ministry
of Christ to our communities,
both locally and globally.
DR. JOHN SUN (RIGHT) RECEIVING THE HUMANITARIAN
AWARD FROM CEO TERRY FORDE (MIDDLE) AND DR. TODD
MYDLER, PARKER ADVENTIST HOSPITAL CMO (LEFT)
> Iquitos, Peru — For the second year
in a row, medical students from the
University of Colorado’s Health Sciences
> Iquitos, Peru — Dr. Tori King (CMO
at St. Thomas More Hospital), the
Hospital Foundation, and the Rotary
Club in Cañon City raised funds to
purchase and transport a new suction
machine for Clinica Adventista Ana
Stahl (CAAS) in Iquitos, Peru. The
hospital administrators from Iquitos
visited St. Thomas More Hospital on
August 24.
CU MEDICAL STUDENTS (FROM LEFT TO RIGHT)
BLAIR WOODBURY, TIN HANGOC, JESSICA MILLER
AND JASON MURPHY PROVIDED VALUABLE
ASSISTANCE TO THE PROJECT IN PERU.
Center joined the Peru medical mission
teams. The students are involved in a
variety of activities, from direct patient
care and surgical support to finding
ways to help advance the strategic
goals and vision of CGHI.
PHYSICIANS AND STAFF FROM THREE ADVENTIST
HOSPITALS IN PERU VISIT COLORADO IN AUGUST.
PICTURED HERE WITH DR. KING (CENTER) AND
GREG HODGSON (LOWER RIGHT) IN CAÑON CITY.
This summer, in addition to their medical activities, Jason, Jessica, Tin and
Blair developed a handbook for future
mission teams and the advisory group
to the Peru program. This 20 page
document covers everything from the
Peruvian healthcare system – insurance,
health facilities, and a list of other nongovernmental organizations (NGOs)
working in the region to details about
how the surgical program at Clinica
Adventista Ana Stahl operates.
Intended both as a guide for other
mission trip participants and an educational tool for the program as a whole,
this handbook has already become an
invaluable resource.
Jason and Jessica, who took the lead on
developing the handbook, are pleased
to know that it’s being put to good
use. Dr. David Ehrenberger, CMO at
Avista Adventist Hospital, has further
edited the document and provided
copies to trip participants in the
October 2009 medical mission to
Iquitios.
HAITI
Former Prime
Minister of Haiti,
Jacques-Edouard
Alexis, was the
guest speaker at
the Health4Haiti
fundraising dinner in Pueblo on
Oct. 2. $28,300
LEFT TO RIGHT: LISA DREW,
CLINICAL COORDINATOR FOR
THE HAITI PROJECT, JACQUESEDOUARD ALEXIS, DR. JIM SMITH,
SURGICAL COORDINATOR FOR
THE HAITI PROJECT
(PHOTO BY CHARLOTTE BURROUS)
4
6
N E W S
&
N O T E S
was raised to support the medical
mission project in Gonaives.
According to a recent article by
reporter James Amos in the Pueblo
Chieftain, “Health4Haiti started ten
years ago and now is a joint project
between doctors and other medical
professionals from St. Mary-Corwin
Medical Center and other medical
practices and programs. Each year,
doctors and other medical staff travel to Gonaives, Haiti, to hold clinics,
operate on residents who need it and,
recently, build a primary-care clinic.”
RWANDA
Emmanuel, a boy with a severe case of
club feet, traveled the end of August
with his mother
to a clinic outside Kigali for
four months of
surgery to correct his condition. After being
diagnosed with
pneumonia,
Emmanuel was
sent home, but
has now been
rescheduled for
surgery starting
the end of
October. The
Mugonero team EMMANUEL WITH HIS
MAKESHIFT SANDALS
raised $1,100
to support the surgical and living
expenses during the four months.
BELIZE
Santa Elena, Belize —- For this first
time since a partnership was established
between Centura Global Health
Initiatives and La Loma Luz Hospital,
COLORADO SURGEON DR. REBECCA KNIGHT WITH
SOME OF THE EQUIPMENT BEING UNLOADED
FROM THE CONTAINER SHIPPED TO BELIZE BY
CENTURA HEALTH AND PROJECT C.U.R.E.
a container of medical equipment and
supplies has arrived to support the
work of the hospital and mission teams.
The container was a joint project of
Centura Health and Project C.U.R.E.
The container, valued at over
$500,000, arrived at La Loma Luz
Hospital on October 15.
In other news, according to local
hospital administrator Grant
McPherson, La Loma Luz Hospital
recently learned that
its bid to become a
Dialysis Center for
Belize has been
accepted by the
Ministry of Health.
Once open, the Center will treat
approximately 32 patients a week.
The hospital hopes to have the
center up and running by April 2010.
Belize is an especially attractive medical
mission destination because of its rain
forests, huge Belize Barrier Reef, and
close proximity to the United States.
For medical mission volunteers, Belize
offers a unique experience that does
not require Spanish fluency.
La Loma Luz Adventist Hospital is
a small, general medical care
facility that provides outpatient
care, satellite clinics, obstetrics,
and general surgery. The next
scheduled medical mission trip to
Belize is February 28 – March 7,
2010. For more information,
please contact Greg Hodgson,
Director of Centura Global Health
Initiatives, at 303-441-4386
or visit the CGHI website at:
www.centuraglobalhealth.org.
VIETNAM
A pediatric symposium was presented
on November 5 – 6 at the Bach Mai
Hospital in Hanoi, Vietnam. Dr. Carl
Bartecchi organized the symposium.
Speakers included physicians from
St. Anthony Central Hospital, the
Children's Hospital in Denver, the US
Public Health Service, and the Mayo
Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota. The
first course for Basic EMT will be held
in Vietnam from November 16 to
December 11, and will be overseen by
Roger Japp, head of St. Anthony
Hospital Paramedic Program.
BACH MAI HOSPITAL IN HANOI
How to submit: Send items of interest and high-res photos
to annekemp@comcast.net. Submission deadline for
Spring 2010: January 31.
7
2010 Global Health Initiative Projects
MISSIONS & COMMUNITY HEALTH
Smiles erase the miles
DATE
LOCATION
PROJECT
JAN. 21-31
FEB. 3-15
Haiti
St. Mary-Corwin Group
Rwanda
FEB. 10-22
Nepal
FEB. 28 - MAR. 7
Belize
APRIL, DATE TBD
APRIL 9-19
Vietnam
Peru
Porter Group
Peru
Parker Group
Surgery Team
Community Health Team
Orthopedic Surgery Team
Community Health Team
GYN Surgery Team
Community Health Team
General Surgery Team
Community Health Team
Physician Training Symposium
Surgery Team
Community Health Team
Surgery Team
Community Health Team
Family Trip
Surgery Team
Community Health Team
Family Trip
Surgery Team
Community Health Team
Surgery Team
Community Health Team
Family Trip
Surgery Team
Community Health Team
Family Trip
Surgery Team
Community Health Team
Surgery Team
Community Health Team
GYN Surgery Team
Community Health Team
General Surgery Team
Community Health Team
Physician Training Symposium
JUNE 11-21
JULY 4-11
Belize
JULY 15-25
Haiti
St. Mary-Corwin Group
Peru
Avista Group
JULY 30 - AUG. 9
Nurses Lynn Ehrenberger and
Ingrid Ingham-Barker with
Peruvian patient during
October 2009 medical mission.
Contact
Information
Greg Hodgson, Director, Global Health Initiatives
email: greghodgson@centura.org
www.centuraglobalhealth.org
100 Health Park Drive
Louisville, CO 80027
303-661-4138
AUG. 18-30
Rwanda
SEPT. 15-27
Vietnam
OCT. 8-18
OCT. 27 - NOV. 8
Peru
Littleton Group
Nepal
OCT. 31 - NOV. 7
Belize
NOV., DATE TBD
Vietnam
This newsletter is a publication of Centura Global Health Initiatives, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. Please direct questions or comments to Anne Kemp, Editor, at 303-775-7324 or via email
at annekemp@comcast.net. To unsubscribe, please call Rhonda Cooperman at 303-715-7600.
7995 E. Prentice Ave., Suite 204, Greenwood Village, CO 80111
Live the mission. Change a life. Change yourself.