Out of this realization, Medical Wings International was
founded in 1998.Glenda
Johnson, who works for American Airlines cargo, is founder and
president of Medical Wings International. A major sponsor is
American Airlines. Using flight privileges and available cargo
hold space, Ms. Johnson and her colleagues have arranged
missions to assist people in dire need of medical attention.
They have arranged for medical doctors, dentists, optometrists
and nurses along with drugs and vitamins to be flown to
countries such as Haiti, Peru, Guatemala, Nepal, African and
many more to bring relief to suffering people. Ms. Johnson is
a citizen of Arlington.
 Mayor of
Arlington, Dr. Robert Cluck, declared Saturday (June 5) Glenda
Johnson Day.
The honor came during a
fund-raising reception at The Antique Sampler Mall. Over 75
people were in attendance and about $5,000 was raised Saturday
evening (June 5). The money will be used for the
purchase of essential drugs, medicines and vitamins. The
medical people, assisted by volunteers such as Leon Lysen and
his wife, Jody, are all volunteers.
Dr. Cluck, in praising Ms.
Johnson for her consideration of people in need, stated,
"Every living human being should have access."
He presented Ms. Johnson with a
proclamation declaring that Saturday (June 5) was Medical
Wings International Day.
LACK OF HEALTH CARE
Dr. Mike Tolle, the
guest speaker, said that since his first mission with Medical
Wings International-to Haiti-his eyes were truly opened to the
plight of so many people.
"It's been a tremendous
privilege for me to work with Glenda," he said.
And, Dr, Tolle said, Ms.
Johnson was correct when she stated that Medical Wings
International have saved people's lives. Dr. Tolle is a
witness.
He recounted the story of how
he visited a man in a shack in Haiti-the man's face was
hideously swollen. The man had saved up $10 for a tooth
extraction. Unfortunately, the Haitian dentist was able to
pull only part of the tooth. During the extraction the
tooth had broken off leaving the roots in the man's mouth. The
Haitian dentist required another $10 to extract the tooth's
roots. The man didn't have the $10. No money-no service.
Dr. Tolle said that because of
the terrible infection, ehich resulted from the broken tooth,
the man needed antibiotics. But the antibiotics cost $3. The
man didn't have the $3.
"He was going to die from the
infection," Dr. Tolle said. Fortunately for this man he was
one that a volunteer dentist with Medical Wings International
saved. The man's roots were extracted free of charge.
"We need more dentists. More
medical people. There is limitless work to be done. We need
more people. The more people we have the more people we can
help." Dr. Tolle said.
He praised American Airlines
for sponsoring Medical Wings International.
In Guatemala, Dr. Tolle said,
there are people who literally make their living from a
garbage dump. Children are particularly useful because they
can fit down into crevices where adults cannot fit. The
children hunt for any recyclable materials-pieces of plastic,
old bottles, ect. In the process, the children sustain cuts
and other injuries, which fester, and in some cases, because
there is no medical treatment for them, kill them.
Thanks to Medical Wings
International in bringing the plight of these children to the
authorities, there is now in place legislation forbidding
children under the age of 12 from entering the dump.
And then Dr. Tolle even took a
shot at the availability of health care in the United States.
"I think we're all familiar
with the health care situation in the country. Our system is
the finest in the world...if you have the money to access it.
In this country there is a huge population without any health
care insurance. And these people have very little access to it
(health care).
"Particularly in states like
Texas where the situation for some of our people is very
similar to what you find in some of these other countries." he
said.
Dr. Tolle talk about the
universal health care systems in most developed countries such
as European countries and Canada.
"It is a tremendous privilege
for me to work with Glenda (Johnson), " Dr. Tolle said.
 |
 |
Glenda
Johnson (right), of American Airlines Cargo Division, is
the founder
of Medical Wings International. At a reception Saturday
(June 5) she raised over $5,000 for her organization,
which provides medical help for people in third world
countries. She is pictured her with her mother, Eloise
Bishop (center) and Tana Edwards, manager of American
Airlines flight services department. Ms. Edwards modeled
some clothing-some belonging to Ms. Johnson's
grandmother-during the reception. Also pictured is Ms.
Edwards daughter, McKenzie, 11. She also modeled some of
the outfits. To the right is Jody Bird, a retired school
teacher, who works as one of Ms. Johnson's volunteers.
(Photo by Bill Leader) |
A touching moment in the
program came when Ms. Johnson gave credit to the program top
her mother, Eloise Bishop. Ms. Bishop has traveled to Texas
from Louisiana to attend the reception.
The mother of four children,
Ms. Johnson recalled how her brother, Leslie R. Bishop, a U.S.
infantryman, went missing in action during the Vietnam War.
Ms. Bishop instructed her three
remaining children, including Ms. Johnson, to pray every day
for the safe returning of their brother. And, Ms. Bishop told
the three children that if God answers their prayers and
delivers their brother safely home then they must devote a
portion of their lives to God's work in return.
One day, Ms. Bishop received a
telephone call from the Red Cross informing her that her son
had been located alive in Vietnam. He had served time as a
POW.
Ms. Johnson and her brother and
sister decided they must live up to their side of the
bargain-give something back to God.
She said all both her brother
and sister work to better the lives of disadvantage people-the
sister helps young women who find themselves pregnant and her
brother ministers to people in prisons.
Ms. Johnson decided to
establish the Medical Wings International and, with her
persuasive manner, has managed to gain the support of the
company and a growing number of medical people.
Ms. Bishop said that her son
who fought in Vietnam suffered some traumatic experiences. He
lives in Chicago. |
