Globus Relief

When IHC’s surgical teams travel to Latin America and the Caribbean, they carry bags of medical supplies that have been generously donated by representatives and organizations from all over the country.  For this reason, we are always pleased to find a charitable organization like Globus Relief that is committed to partnering with organizations, corporations, and governments to improve the delivery of healthcare throughout the world and establish sustainable change.  Since 2009, IHC has been a proud partner with Globus Relief.  We have received several large donations of general surgical supplies that allow our doctors and nurses to deliver pediatric critical care solutions to our partner countries and improve the lives of many children.  A big thank you to Globus Relief for their contribution to IHC’s life-saving mission!

Rysuke’s Story

IHC first met young Rysuke in 2007 when the four-year-old traveled to Richmond for cardiac surgery with Dr. Ben Peeler at VCU Medical Center to repair a hole in her heart. During her stay in Richmond, she also received the first stage of gastrointestinal repair surgery with Dr. Lanning.  She had a congenital malformation that limited her body’s ability to manage and eliminate waste. Since then, she has received two more surgeries in her home nation of St. Vincent. Her final surgery took place on the 2010 Pediatric General Surgery Mission and was an extremely complex procedure lasting 5 hours. IHC surgical teams will continue to follow her each year, and will look forward to seeing her wild, smiling face each time they travel back to St. Vincent!

Tabitha’s Story

Tabitha’s mother was told that nothing was wrong with her child.  But a mother’s instinct knew better; she continued to seek help and information about Tabitha’s condition. “I cried a lot,” she said. “I was trying my best to cope with a sick baby while local doctors continued to tell me nothing was wrong with her.”

 Tabitha and her mother finally received reassurance when they traveled from Do­minica to be seen by the IHC mission team in St. Vincent. IHC volun­teer pediatric surgeons provided Tabitha’s mother with information, explanations and support.

Tabitha was, indeed, sick. She was suffer­ing from a congenital bowel defect called Hirschsprung Disease that can cause infec­tion, bursting of the colon, and even death. The mission team performed a laparoscopic surgical procedure and re­paired the defect.

“The IHC team was professional, kind and caring,” said Tabitha’s mother. “I finally have peace of mind.”

Meet IHC Intern: Dean Rockwell

Name: Dean Rockwell (Rocky)

Age: 21

Place of Birth: Buffalo, NY

How did you hear about IHC? I first heard about the International Hospital for Children in my Spanish in the Community class at the University of Richmond.  A number of my classmates volunteered and had rewarding experiences helping out the families staying in Richmond.  I knew that this was something I wanted to get involved with, and when I had sufficient time to dedicate to IHC, applied to volunteer. 

How did you imagine your day to day work activities to go? At first, I was unsure of the exact functions of IHC and my knowledge was limited to the We Bring  program, which brings children from developing countries in need of surgery to hospitals in Richmond.  I had little knowledge of the We Send portion of IHC, which sends teams of doctors to work in the countries partnered with IHC.  These mission trips are cost effective ways to reach a large number of children.  The more I learned about the four IHC programs, (including We Prevent and We Capacity Build), the more reassured I was that this organization had a clear vision and practical, effective ways to accomplish these goals.  I imagined my day to day work activities to cover a wide range of duties: from preparing documents for an incoming family to accompanying families to appointments and other obligations.

What do you hope to learn while interning at IHC? I would really like to learn how an international, nonprofit, humanitarian organization can manage a huge problem like health care in developing countries in a productive way.  I also want to learn how I can best help this organization at its difficult and often stressful work. 

What are your feelings about your internship at IHC? I feel both apprehensive and prepared for volunteering at IHC.  I am apprehensive about my work with the families, due to the sensitive and serious nature of the surgeries taking place.  I also feel very prepared given my past experiences working with children (5 to 6 year olds at the YMCA) and I feel confident in being able to create a safe, comfortable environment for the children and their families during their time in Richmond.

What do you expect will be your greatest challenge in interning at IHC? I think the greatest challenge of IHC will be staying positive and upbeat while confronting life-threatening disabilities and diseases in young children.  I feel that I am ready to meet these challenges and am highly motivated to make a difference.

In what areas do you expect to excel at IHC? I think I will excel at all of my given responsibilities, but also want to make it my personal mission to raise awareness of the organization and the important role it plays in peoples’ lives.

What made you chose the IHC internship as opposed to other groups? Being an International Studies major with a focus on Latin America, this internship gave me the opportunity to make a valuable contribution to an important organization.  I have lived with families in Latin America and felt that these experiences could help with working with the families IHC brings to Richmond.  In my research, no other internships offered the ability to make an immediate difference in an established, effective and meaningful organization.

CLICK HERE TO SEE A VIDEO OF ROCKY TALK ABOUT HIS EXPERIENCE WITH IHC

Dorron’s Story

God works in mysterious ways. Anette, whose son Dorron was recently treated by Dr. Donna Brown for a congenital eye disease, will be the first to tell you this. Being a religious person herself, Anette never misses church in her home country of St. Vincent. It just so happened that Sunday was the day that IHC’s Dr. Brown was taking patients while on a mission trip to the island. Anette, torn between taking her son to his appointment and attending church, decided it would be best for Dorron to visit the doctor with a trusted family friend while she prayed for him in church. As it turns out, this was one of the greatest decisions she ever made. Dr. Brown identified that Dorron had a congenital eye defect that, if went untreated, would cause a complete loss of vision. Dr.Brown quickly notified IHC, and put Dorron on the waiting list for surgery.

Anette was stunned by Dr.Brown’s diagnosis. How could Dorron continue with his academic accomplishments, which were improving his chances at attending the best secondary school on the island? How could he continue to be one of the fastest runners amongst his friends? How could he still be the neighborhood entertainer, popping into nearby houses and cheering up family and friends with boundless imagination and infectious charm? Ask Anette about Dorron, and all she will do is smile and shake her head with guilty pride. Dorron, she explains, is different from the rest of the family. Whereas Anette is reserved and quiet, Dorron is an extrovert. Unwary of strangers, Dorron makes friends wherever he goes, including on his first plane trip. A memorable moment was when we parked at the Virginia Eye Institute. Dorron opened the door and took off through the parking lot at a full sprint. Anette and I jumped out of the car with some concern, but soon realized his destination: a pile of snow that had accumulated in a corner. “It’s not soft at all!” He yelled with enthusiasm as he skipped toward the office building.

Everywhere we went, Dorron danced, joked and made others smile. “He thinks that he is a stand-up comedian,” said Dorron’s mother. Most importantly, however, Dorron uses his charm to make people feel comfortable. He truly embodies the quote, “Dance as if no one is watching; sing as if no one is listening, and live as if each day were your last.” Anette can only shake her head, laugh, and thank God for her little comedian. Now, when Annette visits church, she thanks God for IHC and for the gift of continued sight for her son.

Submitted by IHC Intern, Dean Rockwell