This excursion is my first time with Haiti and this organization. I have only been here a short while but I can truly see and appreciate the care and effort every member of this team is putting in for the people of Jacmel and the surrounding area.
As a third year medical student I am fascinated by the medical conditions I am able to see here that I would otherwise not see in the States.
One such example is a man that was brought in today that is likely experiencing lymphatic filariasis. It is a disease that is commonly caused by a parasite known as Wuchereria bancrofti.
Although our contributions to Haiti as a whole are a small drop in the sea of medical neglect in this country, I am still happy that we are improving the lives of those around us. In the states you get the occasional words of gratitude from your patients because they do not fully appreciate how fortunate they are to have access to even the most basic medical supplies.
I can see on the faces of so many of the Haitian people the gratitude they have for the work we put in during our short time here. While I am not certain when I would be able to, I wish to return to Haiti in the future as a medical provider.
I would like to thank Dr. Renick and the other members of this team for this unique experience.
Best of luck with future missions,
Andrei Froehling UICOMP M3 RSPP