October 2008

With the end of Ramadan and the celebration of Eid, our team arrived in Niger on October 12. The group included returning doctors Bruce Crawford, Rene Genadry, Soo Kwon, Gopal Badlani, Janet Li, Mike Conley, Jeffrey Freed, Scott Eder and Rehana Kauser. Dr. David Glazier, Dr. Aditya Dash, Dr. Suzanne Walczak and Dr. Julianna Schantz-Dunn joined the group as “first-timers”.

Our Nursing Director, Njoki Ng’ang’a, lead a team consisting of Jacqueline Green, Melanie Haller and Mid-wife, Katherine Erbe. Audrey Orell, Rita Steele, and Loni Steele were our non-medical volunteers.
IOWD team members presented both the National Hospital and Gazobe Maternity Hospital with approximately $400,000 worth of supplies, medicines and equipment. Among the machines donated were two cystoscopes, anesthesia monitors, heart and blood pressure monitors and two complete sets of laparoscopic equipment! Although we are grateful to so many American companies who have been exceptionally generous to IOWD’s program in Niger, we offer a special thanks to Stryker, Storz, Wolf, Olympus, Space Lab, Cardinal Health, Johnson&Johnson, Americares, and Hackensack University Medical Centre for all their fabulous donations on this particular trip.

April 2008

In the extraordinary heat of April, our “regular” team returned. Drs. Ralph Chesson, Karolynn Echols, Cynthia Hall, Briana Robinson-Walton, Okey Ibaneu, Saifuddin Mama, Star Hampton, Sharon Knight and Roberta Blandon braved the 120-degree heat once again. Joining us this time were Fellows Dr.Rene Ward and Dr. Sharon Jakus.

Our Anesthesia team included Dr. Fatai Illupeju, Dr. Ricardo Palop, Anesthesia Nurses Janet Dewan and Emily Ostiguy. The Nursing team was lead by returning nurse, Kathleen Scott and assisted by Julia Chandler. Our non-medical volunteers were Horace Field and Ellen Palop.

February 2008

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.