I first got involved with Medical Wings International after the January 2010 earthquake in Haiti. Since then, I've participated in both Youth Missions and Medical Missions. While both were equally rewarding, participating in a Medical Mission in Puits-Blain, Haiti gave me a first-hand look at the dire situation in Haiti.
We saw patients who had a variety of medical concerns, from cases of tuberculosis to a simple cold. What was most upsetting was that these people often simply needed a prescription antibiotic to treat what was bothering them; however, they did not have access to the medications they needed.
We knew that we could treat what they had at that very moment, but that it would only be a matter of time before they were struck by illness once again. So, we gave out vitamins to everyone we saw, hoping that they would protect them from future illness.
When I got home, I organized a vitamin drive within my school, collecting thousands of vitamins to bring along with us on our next mission. These vitamins can help protect people from getting sick and compensate for the nutrients that they don't receive in their food. This is all a part of Medical Wings's commitment to sustainable change, meaning that the help that we provide will continue to exist even when we're not there.
Eyna O'Riodan
MWI Youth Director