Category: Fistula

Our April team was made up of our long-time regular members, Drs. Roberta Blandon, Ralph Chesson, Karolynn Echols, Elizabeth Erekson, Fatai Ilupeju, Sharon Knight, Stacey Knox, Briana Walton and Sallis Yip and RN Barb Nalley.

New to this team were Drs. Teresa Duncan, Mark Hathaway, Lauren Prescott, Karen Soules, and Tanmay Panigraphi; Anesthesia Nurses included Erin Cushing, Shiro Njoroge and Laura Niday; Pediatric Nurse, Hazel Paz and pre-med student, Caitlin Hester .

This was our 10th mission to Rwanda…and it turned out to be an extremely successful one. Every single fistula patient who had surgery, was sent home dry!

Unquestionably, this was one of the largest groups to go to Rwanda.and it was a fabulous one! Joining us again was Dr. Star Hampton, Dr. Saifuddin Mama, Dr. Blair Washington, Dr. Rob Gutman, Dr. Greg Owens, Dr. Josh Holden, Dr. Eric Fassler, Dr. Jessica Salak, Dr. Dave McDermott, Dr. Charles Marboe, Dr. Yonas Tesfaye, Professor Janet Dewan, and RN Suzy Arencibia.

New to IOWD were Dr. Linda Milhalov, Dr. Nicole Korbly, Dr. Ladin Yurteri-Kaplan, Dr. David Fish, Dr. Richard Garfinkel, Dr. Sara Lozano, Mid-wife Edie McConaughey, Nurses Danielle Lock, Tracy Glenn, Maureen Pennino and Cynthia Gordon; Anesthesia Nurses, Mark Blazey and Jessica Hamilton, and Physical Therapists Mary McVearry and True Hampton.

Our doctors and nurses worked at Kibagabaga Hospital, Muhima Hospital, King Faisal and Kanombe Military Hospital. All the surgeries that involved fistula patients, obstetric and gynecology patients, and pediatric urology patients totaled close to 100!! Our physical therapists worked with many patients and students, and IOWD retina specialist, Dr. Rich, attended to innumerable ophthalmology patients, using the laser he donated. We are proud to have been able to serve so many people in February.

Once again, our October team members returned to Rwanda. The group included Dr. Joan Blomquist, Dr. Sharon Knight, Dr. David Glazier, Dr. Abner Korn, Dr. Bruce Crawford, Dr. Jim Greenberg, Dr. Scott Eder, Dr. Aditya Dash, Professor Janet Dewan, Suzy Arencibia and Melanie Haller.

New team members were Dr. Bethan Powell, Dr. Suzanne Miller, Dr. Ninette Hart, Dr. Stephanie Kielb and CRNA’s Sheila Murphy, Jennifer Buchanan, Jaclyn Shipley, Nurse Robin Laffosse, researcher Emily Evers and our friend and television news reporter, Amanda Sanchez.