Tomorrow MedWish will be sending out a fifty-three foot trailer of medical aid to assist in the initial recovery efforts needed as a result of the devastating effects of last night's earthquake near Port-au-Prince. A truck is scheduled to arrive at our dock first thing tomorrow morning and will be filled with 26 pallets of medical supplies.

MedWish is committed to providing on-going aid these next few weeks and even months to provide relief to the Haitian people. We are collaboratively working with several charity partners to send additional shipments as the need grows.

We need your help to make these shipments possible. Any funds donated to MedWish for the Haiti Relief will be used to help us recover and transport these desperately needed supplies.

Donate now to our Haiti Relief Appeal!

We are proud to have been a small part in aiding the following two hospitals with shipments of supplies and equipment, and we thank all of our supporters who help make such shipments possible. To read more recipient stories, click here.

Tenwek Hospital
Bomet Kenya
Supplies received: May 2009
Photo commentary provided by: Dr. Stephen Leimgruber
Hover over images for larger view

This first picture is of a young boy who I'll call Michael. Michael was born with Spina Bifida causing poor muscle and bone development. Poverty and lack of education in the patient population are significant factors involving patient care here at Tenwek hospital. These factors are the most likely reason that Michael's mother did not bring him in to be evaluated or treated for one year. In that course of time Michael developed foot drop and insensitivity of his foot. Consequently he developed pressure sores as a result of his neurological deficit. In treatment for Michael, undercast stocking, undercast padding and fiber-glass casting material supplied by Medwish were used in conjunction with a rubber cast heal to provide durable fixation and protection of his foot which will allow healing. Because many of these patients are traveling on foot and most of the roads are not paved, having a durable fiberglass splint is advantageous over plaster. However most leg casts are plaster of paris due to the increased cost of a fiberglass cast. Because of MedWish International Michael was able to be treated with higher quality materials and given his fiberglass cast free of charge. After six weeks in his cast Michael will be converted to an Ankle-Foot orthotic and shoe-lift.

The next picture is of "Michael" with Solomon, our chief physiotherapist here at tenwek and with myself in it as well.

The third picture, may not look special, but it is. It is of a wall cabinet filled specifically with medwish supplies that is in one of the 2 orthopedic theatre rooms. These items, Ioban, sterile Coban, sterile Webril, sterile elastic (Ace) wrap, various suture sizes are incredibly useful and valuable in maintaining high quality surgery and quality sterile post-op bandages. Although the patients are not directly aware of their connection to the generosity of Northern Ohio Hospitals via MedWish, we definitely are. Thank you so much!

This fourth picture was taken in theatre while utilizing more Medwish supplies. The woman in this story was attacked by her neighbor who accused her of harvesting in the wrong garden. To drive the point home, her neighbor tried to cut off her hand with a panga (machete). The unsuccessful attempt left her with significant tendon laceration injuries at the inside of her wrist. After a long but successful tendon reconstruction Medwish supplies were used to bandage, splint and stabilize her wrist. Because of Medwish we had the luxury of using sterile casting supplies and sterile elastic (Ace) wrap. This is only one more way that increases her likelihood of recovering from a dirty panga injury infection free.

Assiut University Hospitals
Assiut, Egypt
Letter provided by container sponsor: Rotary Gift of Life Northeast Ohio

Dear MedWish staff:

Enclosed are a few pictures of our container being received at Assiut University in upper Nile region of Egypt and Dr. Ahmed as he begins to set things up and verify all is functioning as it did when it left Cleveland back in March. Ahmed expects to start surgeries on children in late summer with a goal to become a "Gift of Life" hospital for donated surgeries for African children by the end of the year. I am so proud to be part of such a wonderful effort!... and hopefully the new sustainable model for Gift of Life programs around the globe as we move forward.


Thank you for your role in making this happen.

Ken Fogle
Rotary Gift of Life Northeast Ohio

Imagine living in a country where there are only 1.3 hospitals beds for every 1,000 people...where the infant mortality rate is 26 percent...and where only 68 percent of the population have access to sanitation. This is the reality for people living in Belize, Central America.

Click here to read more of our Spring, 2009 newsletter!

On May 9th, over 250 MedWish supporters joined the staff and board members at the MedWish warehouse for the Launch Party of MedWish’s new micro-fundraiser called The Summer of 1,000 Dinners. Guests were inspired throughout the evening by MedWish’s efforts to keep usable supplies out of landfills in order to ship them as medical humanitarian aid. And over 80 people signed up that night to host their own Summer of 1,000 Dinners event to help MedWish raise the necessary funds to provide aid around the world. If you would like to learn more about what it means to host a Summer of 1,000 Dinners event in support of MedWish, please go to our Summer of 1,000 Dinners website: http://1000dinners.medwish.org.  

Summer of 1000 Dinners

Become a fan of our MedWish International facebook page and become a member of our facebook cause: “Saving Lives and Saving the Environment with MedWish International.” Facebook helps all of our MedWish supporters more easily share with their friends about the important work that we do, learn about upcoming events and even financially support our mission. Click on the image below to find our facebook page and click on the link below to find our facebook cause.

http://apps.facebook.com/causes/184990?m=8c3a5226&recruiter_id=18881114

**Please note: our 2009 medical mission trip is currently full. If you would like to be placed on the waiting list for this year’s trip in case there is a cancellation, please email Stephanie Jansky at sjansky@medwish.org

El Salvador, near the capital of San Salvador, in the region of Zaragoza
August 2-7 2009
Cost apprx. $1800.  

Check out this Sun News article about MedWish, which talks about the important work that we do and how we positively affect the local and global community. 

 

http://www.cleveland.com/sunnews/communitylife/index.ssf?/base/features-0/1229609252303120.xml&coll=4 

2008 Band-Aid Bash