February Volunteers
We had a good number of people come to work with us in February. Medical students, residents, practicing physicians, a dentist and family.
Dr. Chris Sizemore is a Ob/Gyn resident who came for three weeks and helped a lot by doing c-sections and other gyn cases. Dr. Ty Babcock came at the same time. He is an Emergency Medicine resident and was a big help in doing minor procedures, taking call and assisting with surgery. Chris and Ty worked together a lot of the time they were here. Both of them are at Vanderbilt for residency.
Dr. Faith Chisum and her sister Joy Leitzau came to Africa to visit their brother who is a missionary in Togo. They came and spent a week with us to see what we are doing. We enjoyed having them with us. Faith is a family practice resident and Joy is a nurse.
Dr. Fuller Robinson is a long term volunteer. He has been coming to work with us here for more than 20 years. He is a dentist from Roanoke, VA. He takes care of our teeth and works with our public health department in the villages. This year he discovered a village where people have been drinking well water for the past 15 years and have bone deformities and “mottled” teeth from excess flouride in the well water. His granddaughter, Dana, came with him this year and it was nice to have her here. She is interested in photography and enjoyed observing some of our surgical procedures.
Dr. Jackie Kerr is a general surgeon who has been here a number of times on the past. He was part of a team that allowed the regular doctors to take some time off. He did a lot of surgery and we always appreciate his help.
Dr. Beverly Jones and Dr. Chris Lui are residents from Canada who came to work with us for a couple of weeks. They were traveling through Africa and arrived in Nalerigu after traveling by road from Burkina Faso. They assisted in clinic and helped with call and minor procedures.
Dr. Julie Kang is an Ob/Gyn from Miami, Florida. She has been here many times in the past and is always a big help. Angel Rivera is a medical student from Miami who came with here for the second time. Julie not only does gyn surgery but takes call and does some emergency general surgery.