FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – Nova Southeastern University rowers
Haley McKissack (Jr., Orange Park, Fla.) and
Megan O'Donnell (Jr., Lake Worth, Fla.) spent their winter break on a medical mission trip to Peru as members of NSU's chapter of MEDLIFE.
The rowers worked tirelessly on their trip and in turn helped their organization assist 1,585 people in a seven day span. During their group's mission they helped 333 children and 338 adults receive medical attention. They also spent time educating the community on dental care, teaching 368 children how to brush their teeth. 102 adults and children received dental care through MEDLIFE. Women's health was also addressed, as they helped 78 women prevent cervical cancer and 66 prevent breast cancer.
McKissack and O'Donnell worked full days during their trips, taking just one 30 minute lunch break each day. Outside of medical aid, the group built two staircases in a community where steep cliffs have become a grim hazard for women and children.
"My trip to Peru was such an eye opening experience," said O'Donnell. "It was the best thing I ever did. The entire trip was a constant learning experience about the Peruvian people, their culture, country, and government. I've never met so many people that were so appreciative of something as small as a toothbrush. I have never traveled outside the country before, so seeing the way families lived in poverty broke my heart and made me realize how blessed we are for having something we take for granted everyday such as clean water. I'm so happy that I made this trip and was able to make an impact on the community as they definitely had an impact on me."
"This mission trip was incredible," said McKissack. "I was able to work hands-on in a clinical setting and provide medical care to people that were truly in need, and build a concrete staircase in a community where the houses were built into the edges of cliffs. We benefited more than 1,500 people in four days and it was so rewarding to be a part of. A lot of the patients we saw had never even been to a doctor before, and many didn't own a toothbrush or know how to brush their teeth. People were carrying their kids down the sides of mountains to get to the clinics we were providing, so it was completely different than anything I had ever seen or could've imagined. Even when we were outside of the clinic and working in the community, something as simple as building a staircase helped an entire group of people to be able to make it to their homes in the hillsides safely. Everybody there was so thankful and appreciative of everything we did, and it was an experience that I will never forget. It's eye-opening to travel to an area where people have so little and where doing something that doesn't seem like a big deal to us is life-changing for them. It was life-changing for me also; I've always wanted to go into the medical field and eventually work in impoverished areas. After seeing what a huge impact one week had on so many people, I am even more inspired to pursue that now."
MEDLIFE's mission is to help families achieve greater freedom from the constraints of poverty, empowering them to live healthier lives. They aim to achieve this goal through partnering with motivated individuals in poor communities working to improve their access to MEDs: Medicine, Education and community Development. The group has a large presence in South Florida with six chapters at different universities in the tri-county area.
McKissack and O'Donnell were gracious enough to share their journey with NSUSharks.com. Shark fans can browse through their photos below for a look inside their trip.
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