Bridge of Life Up Close
How Providing Nutrition Education in Uganda Fed My Soul
I am living my life to the fullest! Bridge of Life (BOL) gave me the opportunity to learn, to serve and to grow spiritually during my recent volunteer experience on their chronic disease prevention mission in Uganda in March 2019.
Having access to health care is a right for everyone, especially for those with chronic illnesses. Many of the Ugandans we met had no access to health care due to the rural locations they live in and their financial situations. Many also reported not being able to afford necessary medicine. Our goal was to reach out to as many people as possible and to provide every individual with free chronic disease screening and prevention education.
Each patient we met had a story to tell, but one patient’s story in particular touched me deeply.
In a small village located near Lake Bunyonyi, we met a young man with type 1 diabetes and severe calorie/protein malnutrition. His fat and muscle depletion were clearly visible. He had traveled a very long distance by boat and came to us with the hope that we could help with his condition.
His story was hard to hear, let alone to live. He fully depended on insulin to survive, which required him to check his blood glucose daily. He had a glucometer at home but no strips to check his blood sugar. His daily calorie intake was estimated around 400 to a maximum of 600 kcal (the average for a male is 2,500 kcal!), and his only source of protein was half a cup of beans per day. He could not afford eggs or fruits and vegetables. For those of us in the dietetic field, we certainly understood the severity of his condition.
With the help of a local translator, we were able to educate him on the signs and symptoms of high and low blood sugar levels. The translator happened to have connections to local health care facilities and offered to refer him to a clinic in a nearby town. I felt so happy and fulfilled knowing that he was not returning to his village empty-handed! We were able to return the hope that he came to us with. And I now remind myself every day that this patient’s story could easily be MY, or anyone else’s, story.
This quote from Lilla Watson, an indigenous Australian, was presented to our team on day one of our mission, and it rang very true by the final day of the trip: “If you have come here to help me, you are wasting your time, but if you have come because your liberation is bound up with mine, then let us work together.”
I know we touched many people’s lives on this mission. But what is even truer is how much the Ugandan people impacted the core and souls of OUR beings. I hope that my story touches YOU to the core. And if it does, I encourage you to get involved, to get out of your comfort zone and to join BOL in serving humanity!
A People’s Resilience: The Importance of Serving Syrian Refugees
Before Bridge of Life (BOL)’s mission to Jordan in April 2018, I thought of the Syrian conflict as a distant global problem. I didn’t consider the individual story of each Syrian and I overlooked the fact that, given their circumstances, they far too often don’t have opportunities to represent themselves. The conflict isn’t given the same coverage it used to have – or maybe our ears are just going deaf to their continual crisis. After completing this mission, I felt a sense of responsibility to share some of what I learned and witnessed.
Like most people that BOL serves, the Syrian refugees that visited our mobile clinic live in extreme poverty. They often live together with dozens of other people in small apartments, shacks or tents. Hygiene is difficult – some don’t have running water or electricity. Zaatari, the main camp in Jordan, is in the desert where many plants or animals can’t even survive. But back in Syria, the refugees’ lives were much different.
Many of the patients we served were teachers, doctors, graphic designers, lawyers, engineers, and store owners. Some had homes, cars and businesses. Their children went to school and had ambitions to secure important jobs. Some people we screened already had in-depth knowledge about the chronic illnesses we were testing for. They would see their blood pressure reading, for example, and say, “Oh, that’s too high. It must be from the stress.” The consequences of the war came to life for our volunteer team – people fled Syria to save their families’ lives. They kissed the walls of their homes goodbye as they escaped to get their families to safety.
The circumstances that our patients faced in Syria were beyond my comprehension. In 2010, what started as peaceful demonstrations ended in civil war. Homes and schools in the cities were bombed, and people often fled to the countryside where there was no food, water or electricity. Parents were afraid to send their children to school. It was commonplace for children to hear explosions and witness death.
We visited one organization called Souriyat Across Borders that serves amputee children impacted by the war. We treated people who the war had left with severe burns or crooked legs. Young or old, everyone seemed utterly exhausted.
We served one man who had to leave all his belongings when he came to Jordan. He didn’t even have time to take his shoes and arrived in Jordan wearing flip-flops. Today, he and his family are living in Irbid with nothing. One volunteer commented to the man on how difficult this time must be for his family. But the man responded, “I just thank God that we are okay.” The resilience we encountered from patients was 
astounding! Still, countless other people I spoke to were separated from their families. One woman cried, “How can I start over when my daughter is still there?” Many patients shared photos of loved ones with us, and almost everyone had friends and family that died in the war. Sometimes people didn’t know if their loved ones were dead or incarcerated.
On the evening of our last day in clinic, our team (which included a group of Syrian doctors and medical students) went to a traditional Syrian restaurant for dinner. The restaurant had a live band that filled the room with Syrian music, perhaps some of the most beautiful music I’d ever heard. It didn’t take long for all the Syrians to join together in song and dance, and there was this overwhelming sense of belonging. It was truly a sublime moment.
After this trip, I no longer think of pity when I think of the Syrian refugees. Instead, I think of people leaving Syria in search for dignity and safety. And I think of courage, resilience and the will to thrive.
Humanity and Hope: My Experience Screening Syrian Refugees in Jordan
I’ve participated in previous Bridge of Life (BOL) missions, but the Jordan screening I attended in April 2018 evoked the most emotions for me. In partnership with the Syrian American Medical Society, our volunteer team of eight DaVita Kidney Care teammates screened over 1,000 displaced Syrian refugees for chronic diseases, including hypertension, diabetes and kidney disease. This mission was so different because of the population’s history of all they have been through and continue to endure.
The people of Syria have suffered far more than I could EVER imagine in my lifetime. Their homes have been destroyed. They have lost loved ones. Some of their family is still back in Syria, and they have no hope of reuniting. They can’t go home when they have nothing to go back to, no resources to rebuild and when it’s not safe to return.
But I could see the impact that our mission and our volunteers had on the men, women and children who came to our screening. Despite the safety they found in Jordan, the refugees struggle to make ends meet every day and to provide for their families. This mission provided them with basic healthcare services they no longer have access to. And it reminded them that they are still people in this world who care about their health and happiness.
During my time in Jordan, I saw smiling faces of men, women and children. I saw people making the best of their situation with grace. I remembered receiving hugs, kisses and numerous invitations to visit the refugees’ “homes” for dinner and to visit them if I ever came back. I remembered one man who called his American friend and let me talk to him just because we both are American and speak English. I recalled how I saw one man carrying his son with special needs over his shoulder just so he wouldn’t have to leave him alone while he and his wife attended the screening. I saw babies of all ages – a reminder of how these people would continue to thrive despite all they had 
endured. Life has a way of going on!
What we accomplished on this mission seemed so small compared to a need that is so great, but to the refugees, it meant so much. A smile, a hug, a laugh, a sticker for a child…showing them a little kindness and respect made more of an impact with them than anything else. And the opportunity for them to check on their health, meet with a physician and receive health education – it was such a simple act on our end but an incredible gesture for them. They are survivors!
My cup is so full right now that I can’t even describe how I truly feel. BOL has done wonderful things, but this is, in my opinion, the most important mission they have ever completed. I am so thankful that I got to be a part of it and would do this full-time if I could. I am grateful and proud to work with an organization that provides healthcare to those most in need around the world and can’t wait to go back. Just tell me when!
A Stirring Reality: Screening Guatemalan Coffee Farmers for Kidney Disease
Chronic kidney disease is becoming a common illness in rural areas of Guatemala and particularly for agricultural workers due to factors such as long workdays, limited access to proper hydration and work labor.
As part of our Screening & Prevention Program, Bridge of Life (BOL) is working with in-country partners to provide chronic kidney disease screenings to different agricultural workers, such as coffee farmers and banana plantation workers, in Guatemala. In March 2017, BOL and a team of volunteers traveled to Antigua, Guatemala and screened over 800 coffee farmers and their families for chronic kidney disease over World Kidney Day at Bella Vista Farm.
Read about our team’s firsthand experiences in the field, conversations with the coffee farmers and our volunteers’ own personal stories in our blog series from this mission, A Stirring Reality: Screening Guatemala Coffee Farmers for Kidney Disease. Check out the first two chapters, and stay tuned for future chapters announced on our Facebook page!
Chapter 1
“Screening in Guatemala: A Firsthand Account of the Daily Lives of Coffee Farmers,” by Katie Chandler, Program Director of Operations, Bridge of Life
Chapter 2
“True Life: I Work on a Coffee Farm,” by Jesse Casco, Patient Care Technician, DaVita Kidney Care
Returning to the Dominican Republic to Serve
When I was 16 years old, I had an opportunity to go to the Dominican Republic (DR) on a dental mission. At the end of my 3 weeks there, I saw a group of people in the village that were sleeping and waiting in line for something. Out of curiosity, I asked what they were waiting for and they answered “doctors from America.” I thought it would be great to see how the doctors worked and asked, when they would be there so I could observe. I was shocked to find out 3 days later! At that moment, at age 16, I decided that I wanted to become a doctor who would come earlier to help the many people who had traveled and were sleeping outside for 3 days/nights. When I found out about this opportunity to go back to the DR with Bridge of Life (BOL), I had to return 30 years later!
To start, this was an amazing experience – I worked long hours, in heat and at times difficult conditions, but loved every minute of it. I anticipated a similar experience as I had 30 years ago – and I was pleasantly surprised that the accommodations were very nice – with A/C, good food and the location was beautiful.
Each day we went to a batay (a small village) and would see 67-150 patients. Each morning we traveled 30-40 minutes to each batay and set up a triage area, lab, clinical area, and pharmacy. There was always a line formed before we arrived. We also had a dental team – which was a bonus! I worked directly with an interrupter, a scribe (a Wayne State or CSU student) and used a great Electronic Medical Records system (EMR) – called Timmycare, used by BOL’s in country partner Timmy Global Health. The EMR allowed me to review previous visits for each patient as well as previous treatments, etc. There is a full time doctor, Dr. Garcia and Anna (the coordinator) who helped with each and every aspect of the day. We had 3 volunteers to provide clinical care – myself, a Nurse Practitioner from a Philadelphia DaVita clinic and a DaVita Medical Group family practitioner from the LA area.
One thing that stood out for me was all the wonderful children that I saw – sadly many had infections, lice, as well as allergies. As I look back, I think one particular 38-year-old mother of 4 children stands out to me. I diagnosed her with new onset type 2 diabetes (her glucose was over 300). Normally in the U.S. I would discuss diet, food choices and start medications. I learned that there is very little availability for green vegetables in the DR. Most patients in the Dominican eat root vegetables potatoes, yucca, maybe carrots occasionally – none of these are ideal for diabetes patients. In spending time with this patient, I remembered that here in the U.S. it is a privilege to have availability of so many healthy vegetables.
On this trip I was reminded from my trip 30 years ago that there continues to be a strong need in the DR for adequate medical care and of the amazing people that reside there. I was so grateful to share this special experience all my colleagues from the US (my fellow volunteers). And on this trip, I relearned why I went into medicine in the first place.
I would encourage all of my teammates who have an interest, to apply to volunteer. This is a wonderful opportunity to practice medicine where there is such a tremendous need and each person appreciates you being there. Each day, as we pulled away from the batay, I knew I made a difference – truly a full circle experience for me.
The Faces of Kidney Disease in India
Recently, I traveled to India to take part in a Bridge of Life (BOL) medical mission and conduct some other business-related activities. It was a jam-packed itinerary with four in-country flights in eight days, spanning the distance from Delhi to Bangalore with stops along the way in Jodhpur, Mt. Abu and Mumbai.
Lori visits with a dialysis patient at a clinic Bridge of Life helped to establish in India
First – India! Wow. What a fascinating country that jars the senses with its mix of the modern and the ancient, efficiency and confusion, and what has to be the most chaotic traffic in the world. Rickshaws and camels share the road with cars and motorbikes, and rules of the road are nonexistent. Horns blast constantly both as a way to promote safety (“I’m passing you”) and express frustration (“why are you passing me?”). Being a passenger requires a Zen-like sense of calm and acceptance of the environment. I also found not looking out the driver’s window to be a helpful strategy.
It’s impossible to spend even several weeks in India and feel like you begin to understand this complex country of contrasts that is simultaneously racing toward its economic destiny while struggling to overcome tremendous poverty. According to the World Health Organization, up to 60% of the population does not have access to adequate healthcare provision. And that’s why, for the past eight years, BOL has been providing ongoing medical missions focused on both treatment and prevention while also strengthening the healthcare infrastructure.
Our work began with missions in 2008 to establish dialysis clinics in Jodhpur and Phalodi with our in-country partner, International Human Benefit Services (HBS). In 2013, we helped to upgrade a clinic in Nagercoil in partnership with Holy Cross Hospital and we are currently in the process of expanding two clinics at J. Watumull Global Hospital & Research Centre in Mt. Abu. These dialysis clinics provide lifesaving treatment to people who would likely have no other options.
654 individuals were screened for CKD during Bridge of Life’s recent screenings in Jodhpur and Phalodi
I frequently say there’s only one thing better than lifesaving dialysis treatment – not needing treatment in the first place. The way to achieve that is through chronic kidney disease (CKD) screening (testing) and education. In April 2016, we conducted our first CKD Screening Mission in both Phalodi and Jodhpur, India. Over four days, we screened 654 people for CKD and provided each of them with comprehensive education on how to care for their kidneys. Those in late stages of CKD were referred to physicians for ongoing follow-up.
It was humbling to see the men and women of all ages who arrived each day for screening, their gratitude obvious in the smiles and hugs that overcome language barriers (many spoke Hindi and other dialects). Though this was only our sixth CKD screening outside of the United States, I was able to see firsthand the effectiveness of our process, the thoroughness of our education and the vital service we are providing to places with a severe shortage of treatment options. Prevention is the answer in these environments, and we are on the frontlines in delivering it.
“At BOL, we talk about providing treatment, but what we are really doing is enabling human potential.”
I also visited the dialysis clinic in Jodhpur which our partner HBS is operating. They are providing very affordable and quality treatment in an area where no other clinics exist. Two of the patients I met are young adults in their late 20s/early 30s. Both have advanced degrees and work as teachers despite the treatments they must receive two to three times per week. In talking with them about their lives and interests, I realized what we always understand from these interactions – all human beings basically want the same things in life. This young man and woman want what every young adult wants – to live, love and work and enjoy the simple pleasures that life offers.
At BOL, we talk about providing treatment, but what we are really doing is enabling human potential. And we are proclaiming through our work that every human being deserves the chance to live a healthy and fulfilling life, regardless of where they are born.
I returned from India proud of our work, humbled by our partners who overcome tremendous challenges to provide healthcare and inspired to grow our resources so that we can do more. I won’t forget the faces I saw at our screening and those undergoing treatment. I hope you can see them too.
Beautiful, Unexpected Impact Ripples Are Created Through Bridge of Life
In a small home in Guatemala City in 1994, a young girl danced with her grandfather in celebration of her third birthday. It was her first visit back to Guatemala, her mother’s home country. The home was simple. She felt frequent drops of water on her head from numerous leaks in the roof, and access to daily water was very limited. Yet the music and dancing were all the three-year-old needed for the most perfect birthday celebration.
Fast forward to 2016: this young girl, who is now a bright successful 25-year-old United States citizen, will make another memorable visit to Guatemala and pursue her dream of returning to dance and celebrate once again with her now 87-year-old grandfather.
The Bridge of Life volunteer team in Guatemala, February 2016
Liz Lopez, a teammate with the LA/OC VillageHealth Operations team at DaVita, volunteered with Bridge of Life (BOL) on a chronic kidney disease (CKD) screening mission to Trifinio Guatemala this past February. The goal of the mission was to screen 1,000 banana plantation workers for CKD and other non-communicable diseases at the Banasa Farm to gain a better understanding of the major health issues that affect the well-being of these workers. But this mission’s impact ripples began far before the team touched ground in Guatemala City.
The BOL volunteer team met in Dallas to catch a connecting flight to Guatemala City. It was the first opportunity for the team to meet each other face-to-face. Liz introduced herself to the team and shared that her mother is originally from Guatemala City, and that she was eager to give back to the country where her mother was born and where some of her family still lives. As the team prepared to take off, Liz approached me and humbly asked for a favor to spend a short 15 minutes at the airport in Guatemala City to see her family who she had not seen since her third birthday 22 years ago. Liz was clear that she did not want to disrupt the team itinerary but was anxious to see her grandfather and cousins. I quickly decided that Liz would, of course, meet her family at the airport and then spend the evening with them.
Bridge of Life volunteer, Liz Lopez, visiting with her grandfather, Jorge Chacon, in Guatemala City
Upon arrival at the airport in Guatemala City, BOL’s team of 11 volunteers quickly realized the unexpected impact ripples of Liz’s participation as the team gathered around Liz, her grandfather and cousins. The reunion between Liz and her grandfather, Jorge Chacon, brought tears of joy to Liz’ family and the BOL team as they hugged and danced in excitement of seeing each other again. Countless hugs and pictures continued as the team witnessed the love and happiness the family was experiencing as a result of Liz’ desire to volunteer with BOL and give back to her mother’s home country. The BOL team agreed that this family reunion was the highlight of their mission experience, and that these unexpected impact ripples at the start of the mission set the stage for the rest of their time in helping those in need in Guatemala.
Liz and her grandfather shared just a few short hours together the night of her arrival in Guatemala City. They danced together again, listened to music and shared stories about the rest of their family in the United States. Jorge told Liz she brought love and happiness back into his home. Liz said she certainly could get used to spending days dancing and laughing again with her grandfather. Jorge spends his days walking, reading, watching television, and cooking. He is well-known in his neighborhood and is a friend to many. Jorge’s last wish before he passes is for everyone in his family to share a meal around the dining room table in his home where his children were raised. Liz convinced her grandfather to consider a visit to the United States when she gets married one day.
The dance between a young girl and her grandfather spanned 22 years. The unexpected impact ripples from BOL missions are often not quantifiable from a metrics standpoint. However, their impact is far-reaching. Liz’ story was made possible through her eagerness to volunteer with BOL and give back to her home community. The impact ripples made through BOL will certainly continue, whether they are planned and measurable or completely unexpected.
The Value of a Banana
Every Monday through Saturday, 4,500 agriculture workers arrive at the Banasa Banana Plantation in Trifinio, Guatemala. These men and women wake up between two and three in the morning in order to reach the farm by five to start their shift. Most workers arrive by bus on a long, bumpy commute down windy dirt roads that lasts more than two hours. Others travel by bici (bicycle) or by foot, sweating and tired before they even start their day.
They arrive to the plantation before the sun has risen. In the darkness of the night, they find their way to their designated posts. There are dozens of different roles for a banana plantation worker. There are positions in the fields to support every stage of the harvest: planters, pickers, fumigators, and protectors (who cover the bananas from wind and sun damage). Once the bananas ripen, the haulers bring the fruit from the field to the processing plant. At the plant, there are people who wash, count, inspect, label, and pack the fruit. The job of the workers is monotonous, and I wonder how they endure their 10-plus hour shift. They move at rapid speeds, trying to complete as much work as possible driven by the fact that 10 percent of their wage is calculated by the hour while 90 percent is determined by productivity. They take their jobs seriously, being efficient yet cautious. They understand that they are easily replaceable. If a worker allows a damaged fruit to pass through their station three times, they will lose their job and their ability to put food on the family’s table.
Migrant workers at the Banasa Banana Plantation in Trifinio, Guatemala often commute two or more hours to start their 5 am shifts
The temperature at the farm is brutally hot and humid with temperatures that soar above 100 degrees in the afternoon. The blazing sun and hungry mosquitoes seem to go unnoticed by the locals. Asi es la vida (this is life).
The workers receive a short, 30-minute lunch break midday. No one asks to take any more time as lost time equals lost wages. They end their shift around five in the evening and begin their long commute home, usually not returning until after eight. They bathe with water from their shallow wells, eat and go to bed, trying to get at least six hours of sleep before they need to wake up and start their day all over again.
Sunday is their day of rest, but the workers admit there is little time to relax. Carlos, a 36-year-old fumigator, says, “Sunday, I still wake up at three in the morning. I look for firewood. If I don’t find firewood, my wife can’t cook, and my family won’t eat for the rest of the week.” Carlos gestures towards the container with tortillas that his wife packed for him for lunch.
Mariano has been working on the farm for over 16 years. Like so many of the other workers, he feels lucky to have the opportunity of a steady income. At 51 years old, he hopes he will continue working on the farm the rest of his life.
Fewer women are employed at the plant, but the ones that are work side-by-side the men doing the same job, working just as fast as their counterparts. Matilde is a 34-year-old mother with four children between the ages of 11 and 16. Her 11-year-old died last year from what she believes was heart complications. She feels very fortunate to hold the position of a banana packer, a role that earns more income than many of the other jobs at the plant. She leaves her home at three-thirty in the morning and does not return until almost 11 at night. Her commute lasts three hours, and she works an 11-hour shift. She relies on her oldest daughter to take care of her children while she works.
The hard work takes a toll on many of the workers. Fabian is 57 years old and has worked at the Banasa Farm for more than 10 years. He has never visited a health clinic and admits he knows very little about his health other than what he feels on any given day. He suffers from chronic back pain, but has never taken any medication for it. Fabian learned at the screening that he has stage four kidney disease.
A Bridge of Life volunteer screens a migrant worker for chronic kidney disease
Erwin is a 26-year-old banana picker. For the past four years, he has spent nine hours a day in the hot, blazing sun in the banana fields. Erwin shared that he suffers from chronic back pain, itchiness, swollen legs, and frequent urination throughout the night. He has never been to a hospital or clinic. Erwin’s father passed away at age 46 from end-stage renal disease. Erwin found out that he too has stage five kidney disease. With failing kidneys, treatment is urgently needed. Still, Erwin fights through his pain working in the fields to earn a living. He is the man of the house now that his father is deceased.
In partnership with CU Global Health this past February, Bridge of Life (BOL) traveled to Banasa Farm in Trifinio to screen almost 1,000 of the workers for chronic kidney disease as well as other non-communicable diseases. Our goal was to gain an understanding of the major health issues that affect the well-being of the banana plantation workers. This mission was the first of many steps to improve the health of the workers, children and families living in the surrounding impoverished communities. BOL’s long-term plan is to develop an annual health screening of all the workers in partnership with the local health clinic, to train community nurses to educate the workers on disease prevention strategies and to increase access to healthcare services for people like Fabian and Erwin.
Our team returned home from this life-changing mission in astonishment of the agriculture workers. We had never met a group of people that worked as determinedly in such harsh conditions day-in and day-out with absolutely no complaints. Our inspiration to continue on this journey comes from the steadfast commitment of these Guatemalan workers. They deserve more…and we can do more.
My Experience at The Painted Turtle, a Medical Camp for Kids
The Painted Turtle, one of the medical camps for kids that Bridge of Life works with.
Wow, what an amazing gift it was to volunteer at The Painted Turtle. To an outsider, this camp looks like a normal summer camp with swimming, fishing, canoeing, horseback riding, arts and crafts, wood shop, improv, and archery. But when you look closer, you see the nurses visiting kids at meal time with medications, the IV catheter lines that have to get special waterproof dressings so the kids can swim and get wet, and the nighttime ritual of IV poles, TPN bags, oxygen machines and nurse checks every 2 hours. That’s when you know there is something very different, and very special, about this camp.
What impressed me most was the way these children took total responsibility for their medical care. For instance, we had some candy in the cabin that they boys were sharing. One particular boy took some candy and then asked me if I knew what dessert would be that day so he could decide if he would rather eat the candy now or save his sweet item for dessert. Another camper told me after our first lunch together that he needed to go to the Well Shell (the turtle-themed camp medical center) for his “special water.” It turns out that he needed an IV hung after lunch every day. This same boy also has a colostomy bag that he empties and replaces every day. Did I mention this boy is only 10 years old?
One of the high points of my volunteer time was at our closing circle after our final breakfast together. After every meal, there was always loud music, singing and dancing. We knew going in that Henry, one of the boys I also worked with, would not dance. And true to that, he pretty much sat and observed everyone else at every dance session. But at our final closing circle, we were all doing a particular camp dance with arm motions, and when I looked to my right, there was Henry, dancing away with everyone else. What a moment!
The zipline at The Painted Turtle.
One very special event that will stay with me forever was with another boy, Michael. He had a liver transplant, but due to his medical condition, his lungs were failing. There is no long-term cure or treatment for his ailment. He was on oxygen 24/7 and had a backpack that infused him with medication to keep his lungs functioning. If he were to go more than 20 minutes without this medication, he would succumb to his illness. Well, he wanted to climb the ropes course and then zip-line down. First off, every one of my other campers successfully completed this very challenging rope climb. We wanted to find a way to allow Michael to complete it as well. We had our nurse, Jen, with us. Jen is a liver transplant nurse at the University of California Los Angeles and was one of the nurses who took care of Michael after his surgery, so she is very familiar with his care. We knew that Michael could go about 10 minutes without his oxygen tank, but the challenge was the need for a chest harness, and Michael’s backpack of medicine could not be removed or compromised. Jen called the Well Shell where Michael‘s transplant doctor was volunteering, and they decided that the harness can be put on under the backpack to allow Michael to complete this challenge. Jen and I stood back and watched Michael successfully complete the climb and zip-line down. Jen was brought to tears and shared with me that during Michael’s transplant and subsequent stay, his condition was touch-and-go. Michael is one of those special kids. I don’t know what it is, but after you spend time with him, you just know there is something different about him: the way he lights up a room, the way others respond to him, and the way he encourages and cheers everyone else on, whatever they are doing.
This was truly an amazing and beautiful experience. I would recommend it to anyone, as long as you are willing to put yourself out there, maybe look a little silly at times, and be open to whatever comes your way.
My Journey with the Bridge of Life Vietnam Medical Mission
Though short notice, when I read about an opportunity sponsored by DaVita Village Trust, in conjunction with the Project Vietnam Foundation (PVNF), I was very excited. Being of Vietnamese decent, I knew first hand of the medical need in this country. Though I’ve lived most of my life here in the United States and identify myself as American, deep down, I’m still Vietnamese. So when presented with the opportunity to give back in Vietnam, I took it. I was honored and fortunate to be chosen amongst hundreds of applicants. I thought, here is my opportunity to represent not only myself, but my teammate working extra hard to help out in my absence at Talbert Surgical Associates and DaVita.
I began this journey with only one expectation: that I would need to work hard. And, believe me, our team gave 110% everyday through some very tough conditions: hot weather, high humidity and polluted air; sketchy water; bugs; and rats. I didn’t know I had signed up for Survivor! But despite all the challenges and difficulties, this was absolutely the most fulfilling experience of my life. There was a sea of endless smiling faces waiting patiently in the sweltering sun for hours. This was their opportunity to see the “American Medical Team” that had traveled all this way to help them. We did what we could with the limited resources that each team member had packed along with their personal luggage for this mission. Our services may have been minor by our standards, but to the people that we served, it meant the world.
On our last day, our team was approached by one of the leaders from PVNF. They asked if anyone knew their blood type. So I stepped forward and told them that I was a universal donor, O-. They pulled me aside and asked if I would consider donating blood for a very sick child. Anemia and malnutrition are facts of life for most children in this part of the world. But this child was barely hanging on. It wasn’t a question of yes or no to me at this point, but, rather, when can we get this done. For me, it was the sooner, the better. A formal request to help this child was made to the medical director of the facility where we were working. After what seemed like a lifetime of waiting, I was finally able to donate blood a couple of hours later.
Before we left, I was compelled to seek out this child and her parents to wish them well. Through tearful eyes, the child’s parents greeted me and Brooke, a DaVita Physician Assistant who examined the child from our delegation. Obviously, there wasn’t a dry eye in the room! During our short conversation, the mother told us that her child needed urgent surgery. But they are still short on money, even after selling their home for funds. So it was PVNF to the rescue! They donated more than enough funding to cover the surgery and then some.
This experience, along with the entire mission, has left me with a profound sense of gratitude. My daily challenges now pale in comparison to what I know many people in the world go through daily just to survive another day. So I’m grateful to DaVita Village Trust and PVNF for the opportunity to give back and to “give life.” Sign me up for the next mission! When and where are we going???