Medical Wings International’s approach to medical charity relief work

David Diwa, Pharm.D.

People give to charity in many different ways; some contribute money, and others their time or their skills. The Medical Wings International (MWI) organization, welcomes all levels of commitment to its work to help bring healthcare to resource limited areas of the world. MWI healthcare volunteers come from many professional fields and work together as a team to provide healthcare in developing nations.

Although the work in very challenging challenging clinical settings, the team approach makes it possible for volunteers to deliver quality healthcare with limited resources. Over the course of many international missions, healthcare volunteers in the various disciplines have come to work with and know one another well. They have learned to harness the strength and uniqueness in each of global community by partnering with local healthcare and philanthropic organizations.

MWI typically incorporates its personnel, equipment and sponsors into the local infrastructure while executing its healthcare missions abroad. Healthcare volunteers get a great deal of satisfaction in working directly with local leaders, host country professional organizations and volunteers from corporate sponsors. The MWI health education program has flourished into a major part its global health initiative. The essence of MWI’s work lies not only in the strong relationships it builds with people in the countries it operates in but also in the enduring legacy of the work it does.

Medical Wings International Aftercare Program

Bettering the lives of people through our medical missions is MWI’s goal with education as the key to success, for it is through education that we help the needy help themselves.

Health Families First is a long-term aftercare program addressing the health issues of people treated on our medical missions. Education awareness covers vital health issues and life saving preventions as in our CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation) classes. MWI’s healthcare givers build on their relationships and understanding of local people and their leaders, creating a unique program that is specific to the needs of each mission.

Through community involvement MWI’s health educators, physicians, optometrists, and dentists involve themselves in teachings related to their field of study. The Prenatal Care and Pregnancy Class covers Nutrition, Stages of Pregnancy and Labor, Breastfeeding and Immunizations. While our Nutrition and Hygiene Classes covers Dental and Eye Care, General Nutrition and Foods, Sanitation and the Spread of Infectious Disease.

Your donation to Medical Wings International heals and educates the people of the world, allowing families a chance to stand on their own and help others achieve independence.

Glenda B. Johnson
Founder and Executive Director

Mobilizing the Disabled

by Anne Leduc

Children, teens and adults numbering in the hundred of millions worldwide are in need of wheelchairs, but cannot afford them. These numbers may be overwhelming, however we cannot let the magnitude of need slow us down, let us start with one-person one wheelchair and do this a million times.

In the fall of 2005, Glenda Johnson Founder and President of Medical Wings International, named me to the position of Mission Director for the organization, later adding the Wheelchair Program to my list of responsibilities. I embraced the opportunity and started soliciting the financial assistance of my family and friends to help me achieve my goal of donating one or more wheelchair each mission. The following year my daughter Jennifer donating her used wheelchair, which is now serving the needs of a Bolivian child.

Medical Wings International has grown and does more than deliver health, dental and eye care. Since our inception, MWI has established a comprehensive approach to deliver a wide range of therapeutic and prophylactic medication interventions. It is our goal to create new institutions reaching out to future generations.

We are able to do all this magnificent humanitarian work, thanks to the help of our volunteers and sponsors, especially with the support of American Airlines, and their resourceful employees. Thanks to all of you and to our special friends at the Scottish Rite Hospital in Dallas, Texas and the Muscular Dystrophy Foundation. Together we are truly “Serving the World”. The wheelchairs MWI provides, empowers people, brings them out of confinement and gives them new ways of interacting with the world around them.

There is no freedom without mobility. We invite you to join us in our quest to help bring a renewed life to the millions of children and adults in our world, one chair, one life at a time.

To donate and/or become a member, please visit our website at www.medicalwings.org

To purchase a wheelchair for a global family the cost:

Adult Wheelchair $100.00

Child Wheelchair $150.00

Doctor Steve Merrill
Dental Director

"Doing MY part, How about You"

I traveled with Medical Wings International to India, Nicaragua, Honduras, Russia, and most recently to Peru. In Peru, more than 1100 patients braved the heat for hours seeking healthcare, the work is hard and the days are long, nonetheless it is an amazing and rewarding opportunity.

In 1998, Founder and President Glenda Johnson blessed with vision, passion and energy to help the people of the world, met with the leaders of American Airlines, resulting in the creation of Medical Wings International.

I recently spoke to the senior class at the University Of Mississippi School Of Dentistry on the benefits of mission work. MWI’s missions provides the most basic dentistry, not surprising this care is sometimes life saving. As always, we stress prevention while teaching oral health and hygiene to those seeking care.

I am very proud to be a part of a good standing organization and invite others to be a part of the great work Medical Wings International is doing, both here and abroad. MWI appreciates and can only operate with the support from people like you, give of your money if not your time. Ninety-eight percent of all funds donated to MWI goes directly to mission work. I will be doing my part, how about you?

Brandon Wigfall

Youth Director

Speaks Out First

I have recently discovered my love for life can be gone at a blink of an eye. For over two years I have volunteered with my Grandmother, preparing food and feeding the homeless on Sunday mornings.

A particular frightening thought occurred to me while serving the people, how gentle, kind and hungry, they are amazing. From what I learned in school, the USA is the richest country in the world. How could life be so cruel tossing them a life of homelessness? When I look in their eyes, I see no hope.

I wonder, when they were my age, did they think life would throw such a low blow. If only they had listen to there elders, or even had steady parental influence in their life, teaching them the consequences of ‘acting out’ like my grandmother would say.

The opportunity that my mother allows me proves that I am capable of many great things in life, if I continue to face life’s challenges with positive thoughts and God always with me.

The privilege of volunteering and getting my friends to share in this project making a little difference at a time. I believe all teenagers should be involved in helping make the planet better. Giving is the right thing to do. If you or your friends want to join us go on-line fill out the membership application,click on our upcoming mission page, make your plans send us a e-mail.

Medical Wings International’s on going local community programs are rewarding, feeding the homeless is an excellent way to learn that, when you make bad life decisions, in a blink of an eye this could be any of us.

By Sandi Stroot

As I traveled to Canete , Peru , I think about all of the typical things that might worry a new team member. Having done a lot of homework about traveling to a particular region, I knew that I would be with experienced people, even though I had never met any of them before. With that in mind, a suitcase of supplies and a positive attitude, I headed out to the unknown.

As an experienced Registered Nurse, I knew that I would be fine when we actually started seeing patients. It is overwhelming on the first day to walk into the crowd of hundreds of people waiting for medical care. It took a huge effort by the MWI team to get set up and running. There is no single person, only a team.

We saw a multitude of afflictions. What a humbling experience as a nurse to go back to the fundamentals of patient assessment with no lab test availability. I was amazed at the number of people that had arthritic knees and bad backs that are still working hard on farms. Ibuprofen and Tylenol were like gold to them. Patient teaching takes on a completely new aspect because resting the affected area is just not a possibility and ice is often not available. Being organized in the triage area and having a good interpreter is essential.

As medical professional who is considering this experience, they must prepare for a demanding physical environment. Not only are the areas remote and the work challenging, but they also must be prepared mentally and emotionally for the experience. Only a team attitude will work and flexibility is the key to your success. I found it extremely beneficial to meet with other team members at the end of the day to discuss ideas to make things work more efficiently. It is important to keep foremost in your mind the lack of availability of advanced healthcare and affordable medications in these regions. An example of this is a woman diagnosed with hypertension with the medicine prescribed costing more for one pill than she makes in a month. After talking with her, I found out that she often eats fish and meats that she cures with salt. From this, I was able to instruct her on a low sodium diet and she was thrilled to have this new information, not knowing before that salt affect blood pressure.

In closing, I must add that I loved the beautiful spirit of the people we met on this MWI mission, it may not be for every one but for those that feel this passion, it is a great experience, I am looking forward to traveling with this organization again soon.

Doctor John Cross

Denver, Colorado

Medical Wings International gives me the opportunity to be a goodwill ambassador all around the globe. I am fortunate to represent my homeland of USA and my profession of Optometry in a way that would make anyone's mom proud as can be.

Thanks to the exceptional organizational abilities of MWI and the unique sponsorship of American Airlines, we are able to go into places such as Canete, Peru and help a populace devastated by the earthquake in August 2007. MWI team meets their extensive ocular, medical and dental needs. The days spent at the clinic are long and difficult, but extremely rewarding. Of the five to six hundred people treated in the eye clinic, the Eye Team provided functional spectacle correction to more than 90% of those seeking care. We also treated a significant number of glaucoma cases, a handful of eye infections and epidemic amount of dry eye syndrome, exposure keratoconjunctivitis and pterygium.

We are very grateful for the support of the pharmaceutical companies like Alcon and Allergan who donated the much needed and expensive, medication to treat the people of Canete. To serve these extremely appreciative people and providing them with the care they need is very fulfilling.

Always a highlight of these missions is the interpreters drawn from the local employees of American Airlines they are indispensable. They gave freely of their time with never the slightest complaint in oftentimes-difficult working conditions. They are an asset to their fellow citizens, and to their employers, and are an integral part of our mission teams.

So from the "Eye Team”, I'd like to express sincere thanks to Medical Wings International, American Airlines and the people and companies who donate eyeglasses and medications for these mission trips. They make it possible for us to enjoy these incredible adventures, providing goodwill throughout the world.

To date, I have participated in four Medical Wings International’s Missions, they are, Dakar Senegal, Phuket Thailand (Tsunami hit area), New Delhi, India and San Pedro Sula, Honduras. Although each country has unique challenges, our patients are similar, indigent population from low-income villages.

In Dakar, Senegal, the challenge is Malaria, in Phuket, Thailand suffering from the ravages of the Tsunami, is the loss of life, with shock, grief and the collapse of the infrastructure. In New Delhi, India, the challenge is the heat, and diarrhea related illness. In San Pedro Sula, Honduras, the challenges are due to parasites.

Medical Wings International’s missions resembles a group practice with Executive Director, Glenda Johnson, Mission Director, Anne Leduc, pediatricians, internists, ophthalmologist/optometrist, dentists, doctor of osteopathy medicine, pharmacists, other allied health professionals, and the host country’s string of volunteers that are used mostly as translators.

A typical mission includes a five to eleven day trip. The first and last days are travel days. A normal day starts with a group breakfast at 6:30 AM, an hour traveling by bus to the clinic site; the location can be a school, an open tent, or a indigent hospital if we are lucky, once the clinics are set-up, each disciplinary sees an average of 100-150 patients during the twelve-hour day.

I am a pediatrician and have been practicing in Savannah, Georgia for 31 years. I joined Medical Wings International in 2004 with my first mission in Dakar, Senegal. I have always appreciated my blessings; however, these missions place a different emphasis on that blessing. The missions are very humbling. I also realize that some conceived our contributions as a band-aid approach to medicine; I disagree and believe it gives the patients hope as well as medical care. The patients’ rewards to us are the heartfelt gratitude they exemplify.

W. Esther McAlpine, M.D., Pediatrician, CEO

Mark Colip, O.D.

This mission trip was typical of the other Medical Wings International trips that I have attended; there was a high need for basic medical care among a people with limited access to such care. Our Team for this trip was much like others, most Primary Care areas were represented and assembled from various cities and states across the United States including; Dallas, Denver, Maryland, Chicago, California, Oklahoma, Florida, Iowa, North Carolina and Montana. The Team assembled at Miami International airport prior to a 6 hour flight to Lima, Peru in South America. Several of the Team members for this trip had participated in previous trips so it was a sort of reunion for those members, while welcoming new faces as well.

The Clinic set-up in St. Vincent occurred early in the morning on our first day after travelling most of the night to arrive. Upon arrival at the site we were welcomed by applause from the hundred plus local residents that had already assembled in lines in anticipation of our arrival, this was an emotional moment for me. The sun was already hot and the pavement was reflecting even more heat, but these people wanted to express their appreciation in advance for our efforts.

After set-up, Glenda Johnson, the Founder and President of Medical Wings, assembled the Team and gave basic instructions and held the traditional moment of silence for prayers, clarity, whatever everyone needed before launching into the first long, hot and busy day. As is typical with these MASH-type set-ups, it takes some time for each Team member and specialty group to work-out their patient flow issues and settle into an efficient pace and routine. Likewise the crowd has to figure out the mazes of lines and flow that they ultimately need to navigate to receive the medical care that many desperately need. At one point an estimated four hundred people were standing in line.

Our day in the Eye care tent revved-up quickly as each member of the eye care team for this trip had worked together on previous missions. Not long into the day a mother pushed a young boy into our tent (in a new wheelchair he had just received from Medical Wings - several wheelchairs had been brought on this trip for distribution) and asked if there was anything that could be done regarding his vision. The young boy suffered from what appeared to be cerebral palsy. Upon closer examination of his eyes it was quite apparent that his blindness was likely cortical in origin and therefore there was nothing that we, or anyone for that matter, could offer them with regard to restoring or improving his vision, the first big disappointment of the day. The mother clearly knew it was unlikely we could help her son with his vision however she had to ask and indicated she was very grateful for the new wheelchair and the professional assessment and opinion regarding his chances for vision someday. There was clearly some relief in her knowing his prognosis rather than simply wishing and wondering.

For 3 days our routine was similar, arrive early in the morning and set-up (all of our equipment had to be packed away and stored at night) and see patients as efficiently as possible while treating everything that walked in the door. Our days involved examinations and treating and prescribing simple things like reading glasses for elderly people that had not been able to read or sew well for many years; to diagnosis and initiating treatment for more complex and potentially blinding eye diseases such as glaucoma. Many children exhibited high need for significant prescriptions that would certainly impact their ability to perform in school and work. One young girl was literally jumping for joy at the new vision provided by her glasses. Regardless of the complexity of the diagnosis, the appreciation expressed by all of the people was genuine.

Our days and the lines of people that we served were both long, but the satisfaction gained from knowing that we were truly making an immediate difference in their lives and community leaves a lasting impression on each of us. Following each trip I always reflect and marvel at all of the details that go into the planning of each mission and I am very thankful for the extensive behind-the-scenes efforts that take place both before and during our trips. These details are superbly managed and coordinated by Medical Wings International Founder and President, Glenda Johnson. Her commitment and calling to make each of these missions possible is evident in everything that takes place. Another key person and behind the scenes contributor is Mission Director Anne Leduc; as well as Glenda’s many colleagues from American Airlines - both in the US and on the ground in our host countries.

I urge anyone considering getting involved in this type of international mission work to take the leap and jump in. This was my third trip and each time I have returned home exhausted, yet enriched by the experience and with a new perspective on life and our world and a genuine appreciation for the many blessings we have living in the United States. Won’t you consider getting involved and sharing your talents and blessings with others in need?

Glenda Johnson, president of Medical Wings International and director Anne Ludec orchestrated the successful Brigida Medico Mission sponsored by American Airlines. In the three-day mission, MWI’s volunteers provided healthcare to more than eleven-hundred underprivileged people of rural Honduras.

Doctors of Dentistry, Pharmacists, Hygienists, Optometrists, a dozen medical volunteers in all, along with two-dozen enormous cases of medicines, supplies and equipment move as a caravan deep into Honduras.

MWI's volunteers setup clinics in a rustic school building which each medical specialty its own classroom. Day after day, throngs of women, men and children lined-up and patiently waited for treatment.

The volunteers examined a variety of patient’s illnesses and injuries, including the youngest patient, a 40-day-old infant in acute respiratory distress. With the coordinated efforts of Glenda Johnson, an ambulance was on standby to transport the infant to a medical hospital for admission. Without this swift assessment and ready transport, the infant would have died. Many times the patients would end the session with a smile and handshake while oftentimes having a parting statement of, “God Bless You.”

Everyone did their part to make this mission a success, interpreters, the Honduran Red Cross and a host of others. The town’s people clearly appreciated the assistance delivered; even the community members who did not have medical needs expressed their appreciation for the assistance to their community.

It is an honor, as a nurse to be one of the volunteers making a difference in the lives of so many impoverished people. To be in the company of caring, benevolent volunteers, giving of their time and knowledge, delivering healthcare to the global community is a privilege.

Medical Wings International Feed the Homeless Program

Yvonne Williams
Outreach Director

Everyday the homeless face humiliation, whether it is in a diverting glance or a direct attack. The community at large does not care to understand the plight of the underprivileged. "Dogs and cats on the street are treated better than the homeless", a Desert Storm Veteran once told me, he himself homeless.

Hearing the pain from a man who put his life on the line for the greater good of this country, is distressing and a humbling experience. As the local Outreach Director of MWI's Homeless Programs, I hear many stories like this from the voiceless individuals in need.

Medical Wings International focuses on family involvement and invites you to include your family in the Feed the Homeless Program. Your children benefit from the experience of giving, while enjoying quality time with their family. When a family reaches out to feed the homeless, they feed not just their body but they also feed their soul.

As part of the Feed the Homeless Program, Medical Wings International volunteers give haircuts and hygiene kits, offer eye-care clinics and provide the homeless with prescription eyeglasses.

Today many of the world's people live in fear and desperation, living with impure water, lacking adequate food and housing. Medical Wings International addresses these situations with professional healthcare providers and their tools, this along with love and compassion.

MWI welcomes volunteers to give of their time and/or resources supporting this effort, doing so provides hope and healing to the world’s poor.

Click our 'Count Me In' program