Mission Completed…

Our team just completed our September 25-October 1, 2016 fall mission to Amatitlan, Guatemala which was extremely successful, even though we did have some minor setbacks. Our sea container full of equipment got caught up in customs for some unclear reasons with a lot of finger pointing as to who (if anyone) was to blame. Fortunately, we hadn’t placed all of our eggs in one basket (or one sea container as it was) and we were still able to complete the majority of planned procedures. While we repaired many patients, we left many more untreated due to either the lack of time or missing equipment that was in the container. We did however purchase the necessary hardware for four additional patients so that they can be treated by the hospital surgeons.

Total patients treated surgically ; 15. These included multiple ankle fracture dislocations, elbow, femur and tibial fractures, several hand cases (including a ray resection for a post-traumatic, non-viable finger), a femoral rod exchange and a total hip arthroplasty. Clinic patients who were treated: 42. We also made plaster molds and took all of the appropriate measurements for two patients who need lower extremity prostheses. (One of these patients underwent a below knee amputation by MOA during our last mission as treatment for a severely infected distal tibial non-union)

Our team was absolutely AWESOME! We had physicans from St. Croix join us for the first time and it was a joy to work with them! (I guess that means that we are now, TRULY an international organization!) While we had many returning team members, we had several new volunteers: Dr. Linda Jackson, Dr. Carlos Sanchez, Ms. Yvonne Briggs, Ms. Tara Brown, Ms. Stacey Smith, Ms. Monica Rodriguez Florez, Mr. Quenten Cothren and Mr. Nick Brunette. It was great having our enthusiast young volunteers with us to inspire and push us onward and upward! I hope that it was a growing experience for all of our team members and I know that I was humbled by their selfless donation of time, talent and resources. The true reason we are there is to help the less fortunate and to show them that others do care and love them and to demonstrate God’s love for us.

I would like to thank everyone that helped make this mission the success that it was; obviously, this includes the team members, but also our supporters that worked behind the scenes helping us load shipping crates, collecting supplies, clothing and equipment and providing moral support and encouragement; every kind word or action was appreciated.

Once our shipping container is released from customs and delivered to the hospital, we will need to schedule a return trip to distribute the supplies as well as organize the equipment so that it will be more easily retrieved during our missions allowing us to be more efficient. Volunteers are welcomed!!!

Our next surgical mission is scheduled for February 26 thru March 4, 2017. Please put it on your calendars!!

Again, many, many thanks to all who made this mission the success that it was!!

Warmly,

Ed Atwell, M.D.
President
Medical Outreach of America

Mission Photos