In July, 2007, 13 volunteers visited Jamaica to provide healthcare at Falmouth Clinic. The volunteers prepared for months filling out paperwork and obtaining notarizations for their licenses and saving to finance their own trips. Among the volunteers were 2 dedicated nurses, an enthusiastic resident, an eager medical student, 1 amazing pharmacist, and 3 students. They all donated a week of their time to serve the Jamaicans.

The volunteers found it rewarding in spirit work and camaraderie. Two hundred patients were seen with at least two lives saved that week. One unanticipated reaction was seeing female patients all request checkups after seeing we had female doctors. The final day was spent in the hills at a health fare in St. Ann where blood pressure, glucose screening, and diabetes education were provided. Patients needing further care were provided referral forms at a clinic in town.

June 30, 2007
Thirteen new best friends met at Sangster (rhymes with gangster), International Airport, Montego Bay, Jamaica, West Indies. It wasn’t just to enjoy our instant camaraderie. We had months of applications, immunizations and organization, to provide health care for two underserved communities; Falmouth, in beautiful downtown Duncan and St. Ann, in the hills where Jamaican Hero, Bob Marley was born. The beauty of the island, white sand beaches, bright foliage and palm trees, didn’t provide immunity from the same maladies that plague the rest of the world. We saw several undiagnosed/under or untreated diabetics, hypertensives; as well as infections and other complaints.

July 2, 2007
Our first day of clinic got off to a shaky start. The three retired nurses staffing the clinic were told that we were coming on July 1st, Sunday. We were scheduled for Monday, July 2. So they thought no one was coming. When word spread we came, eighteen patients were there by noon. The old, young & middle aged came. Parents brought their darling, bright eyed children. The nurses couldn’t resist patting the children’s heads and giving out lollipops; later on we found out two particularly adorable children were there for ring worm treatment. The clinic in Falmouth was a deal. For five dollars US, if they could afford it; patients got treatment, three months of prescriptions (medications, diabetic supplies we bought with us, and sweated through TWO HOURS of customs). If they didn’t have the money it was free. You couldn’t beat that anywhere. We also did extensive patient teaching.

July 7, 2007
After five gratifying and hot days at the clinic, we headed for the hills. Saturday morning after an hour drive through winding mountain roads we arrived in St. Ann for a health fair, with blood sugar, blood pressure screening and teaching to some two hundred people. The fair ended when we ran out of supplies.

July 8, 2007
Saturday, we were back at Sangster, and on our way home…but you know I bet we’ll all be back.

Betty Wilson Singh, RN
Jamaica Mission Trip