Medical Mission to the Dominican Republic Organized by Doctors and Volunteers of the Cuban Association of the Order of Malta -- Saving Maria Elena, a Four Year Old Dominican Child
MIAMI, Dec. 20, 2010 /
Christian Newswire/ -- During the weekend of November 18th to 22nd the second semi-annual medical mission of 2010 to the Hospital Manuel J. Centurion at ILAC Center, Licey al Medio medical facility in the Dominican Republic was undertaken, under the leadership of Doctors Jorge Echenique, MD and José Joaquín Centurión, MD both Knights of Malta and members of the Cuban Association, residing and practicing in South Florida.
As it has been the case for the past several years, 42 participants, (the largest group so far): 16 doctors, 8 nurses, pharmacists and 18 other volunteers, including their 32 heavy duffel bags of medical supplies, flew with the collaboration of American Airlines to the Dominican Republic from Miami, Florida.
Their mission was to give medical assistance to more than 950 patients in this poor area, just a few miles outside Santiago de los Caballeros, the second largest city in the country. The doctors included specialists in cardiology, pediatric medicine, urology, gastroenterology, gynecology, oncology, emergency medicine, dentistry, family practice and internal medicine.
They were locally assisted by the Cooperadores de Salud and other supporting staff at the clinic. Over the four day mission, the doctors saw over 950 individual patients resulting in over 1,500 patient visits. The mission Pharmacy staff distributed free of charge medicines and other medical supplies valued at over $100,000, including a supply for the following several months.
Among the patients, there was the especial case of Maria Elena, a Dominican four year old girl with a congenital condition- Congenital Aganglionic Megacolon (Hirschprung's Disease)- the consequence of which, after treatment, has resulted in approximately seven inches of her intestine remaining outside her body cavity. Through a Foundation for Human Solidarity in the Dominican Republic, and together with our Order, we have been able to find a Pediatric Surgeon in Santiago de los Caballeros who is willing and able to perform this operation that will change this girl's life for the better.
The doctors have settled on a procedure to resolve this condition that can be performed in the Dominican Republic instead of the United States for a cost of $5,000, a fraction of the $75,000 required to perform the operation in Florida. To assist the family of Maria Elena, a poor family of the area with limited means, we began a fund raising campaign among the members and friends of the Cuban Association. We are pleased to say that at this time the required funding has been obtained and the operation is under way. The excess funds collected have been earmarked for the support of our Medical Mission in the Dominican Republic.
ILAC is a Catholic faith-based group that has a free-standing clinic near Santiago with three operating rooms and five exam rooms. It is a collaborative health care and educational organization that exists to promote the integral wellbeing and spiritual growth of all participants. The small hospital at this facility was made possible with a donation from a local businessman through one of the MD members of the Cuban Association.
The Order of Malta is the oldest Christian charity of the Catholic Church, having been established in 1048. Since its humble beginnings in the Holy Land, this Order and its members have dedicated themselves to serving the poor and the sick, particularly in the area of health care. This tradition of service is maintained today by the approximately 12,500 members and over 80,000 volunteers working in over 120 countries. It operates ambulance corps, blood banks, clinics, hospitals, refugee camps, and disaster relief operations. You can learn more about the Order at
www.orderofmalta.org.
The Cuban Association of the Order of Malta was established in 1952. It was reorganized in Miami, Florida in 1990, where new activities were established for the poor and the elderly in cooperation with the local Catholic Church. Presently it has 113 Knights, Dames and Chaplains, including three living in Cuba. Our volunteer doctors have served the San Juan Bosco Miami parish clinic-Our Lady of Philermo- for many years; the Cuban Association also conducts medical missions to the Dominican Republic and to other countries of the Caribbean and Central America.
We have been working closely with the Catholic Church in Cuba since 1996, currently funding fifty five elderly support centers associated with a similar number of catholic parishes throughout the Island; living facilities for retired priests, hospitals and other institutions, including one which serves children suffering from Down's syndrome. We also cooperate with the Embassy of the Order of Malta in Havana with many of our local projects. You can learn more about the Cuban Association at
www.ordendemaltacuba.org.
