Ghana

Number on medical team – 21
Number served – 1,799 (not including house calls)
Number of surgeries - 21 (in operating room and clinic)

Medical personnel and volunteers departed on April 15 and returned April 24th for our second medical mission to Asafo, Ghana. Some of the people were familiar to us from last year and it made the patients feel special to be remembered. Dr. Matthew Harrison and Dr. Gabriella Nanci worked in the clinic.  Dr. John Petros and Dr. Deborah Martin performed surgeries in the existing operating room at St. John of God, and also worked in the clinic after surgery.  Two new operating rooms are being added for mission work, but are not yet equipped, so were used for the clinic.

Crowd control was improved this year, with only 25 people allowed inside the clinic at a time. Hundreds of patients presented for treatment each day, and a diligent and energetic group of volunteers made it all possible by monitoring a steady flow of patients through the gates, through vitals, triage, to the physician, and finally to pharmacy.  Laboratory services were provided by St. John of God, and a volunteer was dedicated to taking patients to and from the lab.  A physical therapist was a great asset to the team, given the high rate of musculoskeletal complaints. Two pharmacists, including a PharmD, were present, and their expertise was extremely helpful in adapting treatments to the tropical medicine setting, and providing patient education.

Although many patients had conditions that are commonly encountered in America, the setting also provided some unique challenges. Anemia is common in this population; impacting men, women, and children. Patients frequently presented with falciparum malaria, and many young children were extremely ill from the infection.  Artemether/Lumefantrine was obtained locally and was prescribed after infection was verified with light microscopy. In some cases, these patients were followed-up on and their improvement was dramatic. Typhoid fever and onchocerciasis (cause of River Blindness) was also encountered. Many children showed symptoms of malnutrition and intestinal parasites. Mebendazole was purchased locally, and all children were treated. However, after the first wave of patients exhibiting signs of onchocerciasis, ivermectin was obtained, and all children, and any adults with characteristic lesions, received this anti-parasitic treatment.  Ivermectin can be obtained free of charge, as part of the Mectizan Donation Program, and community directed treatment programs have had relatively good success in controlling River Blindness. Such a program would be worthwhile in any affected communities surrounding Asafo.

Over twenty surgeries were performed in the operating room and the clinic; including hernia repair, prostate resection, bladder cancer resection, and closed reduction of a dislocated wrist.  The Helping Hands surgical staff included the two surgeons and three operating room nurses. Many surgeries performed were life-changing or life-saving events for the patients.  A system of pre-screening surgical patients prior to the mission team’s arrival could allow for even better utilization of surgical services on future missions.

Prior to arrival, a young volunteer had organized an ambitious drive to purchase over 2,000 flip-flop shoes for the patients. She kept very busy during the mission, distributing the shoes to grateful recipients.  Fr. Jeffrey Jambon set up in a room adjoining the clinic, with prayer cards and rosaries, and met with over 100 patients a day. During the mission 60 houses were visited as part of the evangelization effort. Many of the people visited had been baptized, say family Rosary together, and attend Sunday Mass.

Some patients were physically unable to attend the clinic. A team of providers, including a clinician, an EMT, and a pharmacist, was formed and visited the homes of house-bound and/or bedridden patients in the immediate vicinity of St. John of God. In virtually all these cases, the patients suffered from a combination of an infectious disease process complicated by poor nutritional support.  Many of the patients had not been able to leave their home in years.  In some of these cases, providers were able to witness significant improvement in the patient’s conditions. In others, it is hoped that the medications dispensed will continue to help the patients improve. However, we were told that the biggest miracle according to the people in Ghana was that we came just to help them personally; not looking for their gold.

Philippines

Medical personnel and volunteers just concluded a HELPING HANDS Medical Mission trip to Tanauan in the Philippines.  This mission provided healthcare to approximately 1,700 people who do not have access to healthcare regularly.

Physicians performed 60 surgeries; 32 of which were major operations.  42 patients saw a dentist and 79 had much needed x-rays.  These services, which most of us take for granted, are life saving opportunities for those who have no regular access to health care.

The mission team, made up of 12 people, was supported by a ground team of local personnel and volunteers who worked ahead of their arrival to set up the clinic.  In addition to medical services, all patients had the opportunity to receive the sacraments as each HELPING HANDS Mission team travels with a priest to minister to the spiritual needs of those they serve, creating a truly holistic approach to healthcare.

Ghana 2009

Number of people on medical team - 15
Number of patients served - 1,909

Dr. Phil Kelley was able to help the residents with a difficult case of an infant with cerebral malaria. This assured a better outcome for the infant. Some of the diagnoses were: Worms, TB, Typhoid, Parasites, Skin Infections, UTI’s , ear infections, asthma, and musculoskeletal pain.

Fr. Jeffrey blessed the patients’ throats invoking St. Blasé protection. Throughout the week Fr. Jeffrey also prayed the rosary in groups as the people were in line waiting to see the doctors. He also kept the children busy playing soccer during our mission. The children really loved Father and he loved them. Fr also heard confessions and gave spiritual direction.

Guatemala 2009

Number on medical team - 36
Number of patients served - 2,100
Number of surgeries - 74
Number of dental cases - 418

A variety of surgeries were performed, including gall bladder, inguinal and abdominal hernias, tonsillectomies, septal deviations and a variety of cysts were removed from patients.

Father Gregory Woodward, LC was wonderful. He was patient, understanding and friendly.  He was ecumenical, encouraging the patients and missionaries regardless of religious affiliation.  Besides providing the sacraments, Father Gregory also gave spiritual direction to nearly all the missionaries, was always smiling, and always available. He was very flexible with his time and worked very well with the local parish priest, for example, establishing an NFP (Natural Family Planning) program in local parish.

Bacalar-Chetumal, Quintana Roo, Mexico – March 2007

Santiago Texacuangos, El Salvador – November 2006

Tanauan-Batangas, Philippines – February 2007

San Juan, Guatemala - October 2007

29 missionaries: 7 doctors, 10 nurses, 1 dentist, 2 pharmacists, 1 chaplain, 1 medical student and 7 volunteers

On this mission 1,404 patients received medical care, including about 500 children. 241 patients received dental care.

The mission participants demonstrated tremendous synergy in working with the Guatemalan ground team, the local organizers, the youth volunteers, mission translators, and the medical students. It was amazing to see what could be accomplished with everyone working together as one. 

The mission team served not only as healthcare professionals, but also as witnesses to the Faith. They worked to bring hope to their brothers and sisters at the mission site. The team was able to address not only people’s physical ailments, but also their spiritual needs. The team saw poverty all around, but also that the human spirit can be strengthened and sustained by Faith; true happiness comes only from faith in God. Material belongings do not bring happiness. If they did, the Guatemalan people would be in a state of perpetual despair as they are lacking so much.

Father Lorenzo Gomez, LC worked tirelessly to meet the team’s spiritual needs on this weeklong “working retreat”. His meditations and homilies were always enlightening and challenged the missionaries to take a deeper look at their lives and spirituality. This chance to visit the local people in their homes gave us a sense of how the Guatemalan people really live.

Sonsonate, El Salvador - November 2007

Santiago Texacuangos, El Salvador - November 2007

Escuintla, Guatemala

HELPING HANDS Medical Missions sent a team of 39 missionaries to Escuintla, Guatemala on March 23, 2007.  The six doctors, two dentists, fifteen nurses, a chaplain and other volunteers traveled from Guatemala City to the coastal state of Escuintla; there the team was able to both evangelize through visits to the homes of the local people, and provide medical care to 1,130 patients who couldn't otherwise afford it.

Cotija, Mexico

HELPING HANDS Medical Missions departed with a team of 46 missionaries, including thirteen doctors, twelve nurses, eight medical students, a chaplain, four volunteers and a number of other personnel for Cotija, Mexico on May 18, 2007.  The team arrived in Guadalajara, Mexico and took a three and a half hour bus ride to the small town of Cotija de la Paz in the state of Michoacan.  In Cotija they were able to both evangelize through visits to the homes of the local people, and provide medical care including a variety of surgeries to 1,100 patients.

Itacoatiara, Brazil

HELPING HANDS Medical Missions sent a team of 21 medical missionaries including two doctors, five nurses, two medical students, one medical assistant, one pharmacist,  a chaplain and two translators to Itacoatiara, on the Amazon River, from June 30 through July 11, 2007.  The team arrived in the early morning hours in Manaus.  Their work brought them to two sites, Itacoatiara and Sâo José do Rio Arary, four hours away from Itacoatiara by boat.  They treated 860 patients.  "Patients with worried look on their faces often became more relaxed and smiled as they were told after the gentle touch of examination that there were no major problems; and one participant received a very appreciative thank you note from a patient who likened her manner to that of Mary." - Dr. Cecile O'Connor, Mission Site Medical Director.

Tanauan, Batangas, The Philippines - 2007

HHMM's second Mission to the Philippines was blessed with success.  2103 patients were treated during the Mission, including: 1815 in the primary care clinics, 218 in the dental clinics, 43 surgical consultations and 27 surgeries.  Our group included 7 physicians, a nurse pratitioner, a registered nurse, two dentists and 7 volunteers.

The Mission was sponsored and supported by the local Church and City authorities who, once again, facilitated our presence and labor.  Thank you all who contributed to the success of this great effort.  Your prayers and financial support allowed this Mission to become the ninth in our annual calendar.

Chunhuhub, Quintana Roo, Mexico - 2007

HELPING HANDS sent 5 doctors, a dentist, 3 nurses and more than thirty volunteers, medical and dental students to treat 2,000 patients in this small town on the Yucatan peninsula; there were more than 500 dental procedures performed.

Bacalar-Chetumal, Quintana Roo, Mexico - March 2007

Not far from Chunhuhub, HELPING HANDS missionaries that went to Bacalar and Chetumal included 5 doctors, 3 nurses, a pharmacist, 12 dental students and 4 other volunteers; they treated 834 medical patients and 500 dental patients.