ISU and Hombro a Hombro bring a medical brigade to Guangaje, Ecuador.
In January 2022, five communities in Guangaje, Ecuador received their first medical brigade since the pandemic started. A group of students and faculty from Indiana State University, along with general volunteers, translators, and seven medical professionals provided care to 307 patients.
With Timmy playing the role of connector, we praise the faculty and staff at ISU and the team at Hombro a Hombro in Ecuador, who worked together very closely during the entire process. The Timmy chapter at ISU, led by Professors Dr. Eric Glendening and Cody Hanson, took care of all the necessary preparations on the US side, while the team at Hombro a Hombro, led by Pablo Boada, took care of the in-country logistics and community coordination; they will also be taking care of referrals.
Pablo Boada says “It was meaningful to have the chance to see our friends from Guangaje after two years. This is an opportunity to continue serving the community and to learn from their strategies to keep going during those hard times of the pandemic. We had a very committed group of professionals from the US and Ecuador who were the leaders on this brigade. The students were committed, joyful and super organized. We had the support from the Hombro a Hombro staff, especially Carlos Quezada and Maricela Morales, who used their experience to organize the brigade in the best possible manner, following all the protocols needed. Professors Glendening and Hanson prepared this experience in the US with a tremendous level of organization. We had fantastic teamwork, which was also possible thanks to Timmy. We have found new challenges, like the cases needing further attention that will keep us busy for the next weeks and months. We hope this will be the beginning of a new season of serving experiences in the community.”
Given that this was the first brigade since the pandemic halted travel, we learned from the process and we adapted, and it was well worth the effort. As Dr. Eric Glendening said “We appreciate the opportunity to return to Guangaje and learn from the community, the medical professionals, and Hombro a Hombro staff. Our students consistently describe the brigade as one of the most impactful short-term experiences that they have in undergraduate. We would like to thank Pablo Boada and Dr. David Wood for their commitment to resuming brigades in Guangaje. It was our privilege to be part of this effort.” We at Timmy look forward to seeing more direct collaboration between Timmy chapters and supporters and the organizations Timmy trusts and supports.
While we do not know what exactly this year will look like due to the pandemic, we are thankful for your continued donations that allow us to support these communities from afar and for this first brigade and its impact on patients, students, medical professionals, and volunteers.
