My Nonprofit Reviews

I made my first trip with to Rwanda in 2010 as a cardiac ultrasound sonographer/volunteer with TEAM HEART- I went to help the team select patients with rheumatic heart disease that could be helped by cardiac surgery- My images were the tool that helped cardiologist and surgeon assess the severity of disease, the likelihood that surgery was going to make a difference, and then to help follow their recovery post op. It has been the highlight of my professional life- the commitment, teamwork and dedication of my team members, and the connection to the patients, has encouraged me to complete 10 trips for this, and am on the verge of the 11th. Unlike the practice in the States where we see a patient for 1 appt and then another department takes over, these patients are individuals whose health and fate belong to all of us involved. There is such a huge need- who gets selected for the lifeboat-it's a vital and sobering responsibility- We see them in follow up in subsequent visits,now thriving and getting a new chance at a future- it's like a family reunion each year- we celebrate their growth, their return to work or school. And we also watch the local staff members grow in knowledge as we teach and mentor- Residents, nurses and doctors are their primary caregivers, so I have taught every day I work there- Our goal is to graft our experience onto the local teams so they are empowered to do this job well on their own.