Medical Mission Update from Honduras
Honduras Otolaryngology Mission Brigade
Catacamas is a community of approximately 40,000 people located in the Honduran Department of Olancho. The local population is served by a recently constructed Catholic hospital, Hospital Santos Hermano Pedro. There is a severe shortage of specialty physicians in Olancho. The ENT brigade worked at the hospital for five days performing outpatient clinic evaluations, surgical procedures, audiological testing, and fitting of hearing aids. This band of merry women and men willingly used their limited holiday time and raised their own funds to travel across borders to provide this much needed care. Here is a letter by Dr. Wild, written since their return after performing this good work.
My friends and benefactors,
The November 2016 Honduras Otolaryngology Mission Brigade has returned to the USA after a very successful and productive week in Honduras. Our brigade of 22 people (4 senior physicians, one ENT chief resident, 1 anesthesia resident, 2 anesthetists, 3 medical students, 3 nurses, 1 physician assistant, 2 surgical technicians, 1 audiologist and two soccer coaches) completed 5 days of Otolarynglogy care at the Hospital Santos Hermano Pedro in the city of Catacamas. I am proud to report that our group successfully provided surgery to 52 patients, evaluated 210 patients in clinic, did audiological testing on 70 patients, and dispensed 30 hearing aids.
In addition, our newest expansion of the Mission included two coaches from the Scott Gallagher St. Louis Soccer Club. The two remarkable coaches held 2-3 training camps per day for the Honduran youth of the Department of Olancho. Each camp taught 15-30 kids soccer skills. In addition, donations of almost 200 pairs of soccer cleats and 100 soccer balls plus goal nets were given to these children.
The November 2016 Otolaryngology Brigade
Our week long effort was again very memorable. Our surgeries included repair of cleft palate, advanced ear surgery, salivary gland surgery, sinus surgery, and many tonsillectomies. Our patients bestowed upon us so many blessings and expressions of gratitude. One memorable elderly man showed tears of happiness when his ear surgery relieved him of a decade of severe ear pain.
We are again very grateful to the Honduran staff of the hospital. Their long hours, support, and courtesy allowed us to feel the heart tug of sincere brotherhood.
I was extremely fortunate to be the “el hefe” (“the boss”) of this brigade. The support of our benefactors, the talent and collegiality of the brigade members, the love and support of the hospital staff, and finally the appreciation of our Honduran patients have combined to give me the rewards of satisfaction of a well done effort. The contributions of everyone involved have made me humbly aware of the human capacity for love, generosity, and compassion.
I am sincerely grateful for the fundraising efforts and contributions which made this brigade possible. I believe this mission will likely bestow lifelong meaning upon our brigade members. The meaningfulness is demonstrated by the number of brigaderos who have accompanied me on repeated trips as well as the willingness of new members to sacrifice their time, talent, and treasure. The impact of the brigade was made especially obvious to me this year by Neeti Arora, our anesthesiology resident from Cornell. She had gone on a brigade with me perhaps 5 years ago when she was a medical student at Saint Louis University. She called me out of the blue this past summer telling me she wanted to go back. Wow!
– Dr. Alan Wild, Assistant Professor
Specialties and Subspecialties
Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery
Standing (L to R): Chris Gomez, Alan Wild, Jordan Winegar , Serena Byrd, Zach Turnbull, Norma Helm, Doug Warrren, Haley Medvick, Judy Saffa, Morgan Crow, Steve Smith, Adrienne Childers, Laheart, Rodney, Ken Godat Sitting (L to R): Ozzie Hunter, Samantha Cummins, Neeti Arora, George Saffa, Beth Schumacher, Beth Seago, Joy Rumisell, Sarah Olafsson
Note: The endeavor originated about 15 years ago from the efforts of an Irish Catholic Bishop from Boston serving in Honduras. Over the years, the program has grown, due to the good fortune of a confluence of United States and Honduran private, governmental and diocesan investments of funds, equipment, and talented volunteers. Today there stands a hospital equipped to admit approximately 100 patients.