Student Action Saves Lives
By Lorilynn Lomelli
Changing lives, providing medical care and instructing medical education classes were only a few of the things Santa Clara's Global Medical Brigades had on its agenda while in Ghana this past spring break.
This past Friday the 28 members of the volunteer group showcased their accomplishments and experiences they had in Ghana . A culture show was put on for the rest of the Santa Clara community to witness the impacts the group made on hundreds of lives in Ghana.
The showcase included a room covered with memorabilia, authentic Ghanaian food, a slideshow of the volunteers' experiences and a demonstration of traditional Ghanaian dancing.
"I felt really inspired while watching the PowerPoint," said Ashley Bell, a guest to the event. "It was really amazing how they were able to help so many people with a variety of different medical needs. It really enhanced my knowledge of the medical issues in Africa and has actually inspired me to possibly join the club in the future."
The culture show was engaging and educational, informing many students about the prominent medical issues plaguing non-industrialized countries such as Ghana.
The Brigades saw over 600 patients, but impacted far more lives. The population of Ghana does not have easy access to medicine or water due to lack of transportation.
The closest medical care, to the village the Brigades visited in Ghana, is 20 miles away. The closest access the village has to fresh water is over two miles away. The volunteer organization provided free medical care to a village, implementing an entirely student-run triage system. They also taught health care classes for children and adults, and set up dental, pharmaceutical and OB-GYN medical stations.
President of Global Medical Brigades Keele Shaw said, "To be perfectly clear, students at Santa Clara saved lives."
The Santa Clara group brought along approximately $25,000 worth of medication, which helped cure and treat patients with a myriad of medical conditions such as leprosy, malaria, cervical cancer and dehydration.
With the dedication of Shaw, whose tireless effort allowed this experience to be possible for students at Santa Clara and the members of the Global Medical Brigades group, the villagers were given medical care that they would not have otherwise received.
Alexander Owyoung mentioned his favorite experience was meeting the people.
"I think that was the highlight of my experience, getting to know a different culture and getting to see the world through different set of eyes," he said.
Contact Lorilynn Lomeli at llomeli@scu.edu.