Author: TEAM IOWD

Drs. Chuck Ascher-Walsh, Giti Bensinger, Joan Blomquist, Tim McKinney, Julianne Newcomer, Greg Owens, and Joe T. Stubbs returned to Niger again in February, Drs. Azin Shahryarinejad and Christian Litton joined the team of surgeons for their first trip to Niger, as did Dr. Helen Hostin, Obstetrician/Gynecologist.

Anesthesiologists Stacie Deiner, Andrew Smith, Anita Patel and Nurse Anesthetist, Janet Dewan formed a wonderful new team to teach the Nigerien anesthesia team.

Nurse Njoki Ng’ang’a returned again to lead a team of nurses…Suzy Arencibia, Louise Gilbert and Holly Rae Stone. John Alexander, Scott Newcomer, Rebecca Ascher-Walsh, Susan Wetmore and Julie Dallaire were the non-medical volunteers. Medical students were Danielle Trief, Ana Beesen and High School students, Cynthia McKinney and Tori Phelan also joined our group.

Drs. Charles Ascher Walsh, Bruce Crawford, Jeff Wilkinson, Michael Brodman, Jeffrey Freed, Scott Eder, Michael Vardy, Sakti Das, Roy Ayalon, Tina Ayeni, Rehana Kauser; Nurses Njoki Ng’ang’a, Yolande Aqui, Kathy Raney and Surgical technician, Kristine Long made up the October team. Students Leigh Rosen, Dana Kusnir and Nora Wilson also participated.

IOWD shipped 16 huge cartons, filled with medicines, supplies and equipment for the National Hospital and Gazobe Maternity Hospital. The cartons will filled with transformers, a cystoscope, battery back-ups, and a suction machine to help in the births at the Maternity Hospital…this was a “first” for Gazobe…and very much appreciated by the doctors and midwives. Dr. Scott Eder, who donated the machine, worked with the staff, teaching them how to use this new equipment. Firmly committed to establishing an IOWD program at Gazobe Maternity, Dr. Eder began his plans for his return to Niger in 2008 with a few more surprises!

Joining us in Niger were Drs. Karolynn Echols, Ralph Chesson, Lise Rehwaldt, Rob Gutman, Briana Robinson-Walton, Sharon Knight, Roberta Blandon, Okey Ibaneu, Lesley Meister, Raymond Chung and Janifer Tropez-Martin. Registered Nurse, Kathleen Scott joined us again for her 3rd trip to Niger. Mark Roberts returned for a 2nd trip…and is presently enrolled in a surgical tech program so that he can officially assist his wife, Dr. Lise Rehwaldt, in the operating rooms in Niger.

Day after day, the temperature would climb to 120 degrees…in Dr. Chesson’s Operating Room; the air conditioner barely cooled the room..it was often 95 degrees. But nothing stopped the doctors and nurses. They examined close to 120 women and operated on 53 patients. The Courtyard was filled with women from as far as Maradi and Diffa (in the eastern part of the country). Once again, the Nigerien Government had brought so many fistula women in to the National Hospital from great distances.

Dr. Roberta Blandon:

“Caring for the fistula women of Niger was a fulfilling and life changing experience. I feel as if something inside of me was dormant, and now has been brought back to life and it is more awake than ever…..That mission of “serving others” that inspired me to become a physician has found a home…..”

Dr. Sharon Knight:

“Thank you for letting me sign on with IOWD and join the April mission. It was one of the most amazing experiences of my life. Thoughts of our trip, the work and the people cross my mind everyday.”