Health outreach missions sponsored or co-sponsored by FUEGO involve various health care providers, graduate students, residents, and dedicated volunteers working together

to serve under-resourced populations.

 

There are many regions around the world with limited access to health care. The volunteers working with the FUEGO Foundation give direct AID to those who are suffering through hands-on patient care and educational presentations. The foundation helps to fund mission trips by purchasing medications, supplies, and equipment. Health care providers such as Podiatrists, Dermatologists, Nurses, Pediatricians, Pharmacists, Family Physicians, Physician Assistants, Dentists, Optometrists, Nurses, etc. donate their time and expertise to give health and hope in sometimes bleak circumstances.

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Working closely with local caregivers, they supervise and train residents and students,

collect and analyze data, give care and perform minor procedures, and teach families

preventive health care appropriate for their culture and region. Importantly,

relationships have been developed in the communities served so that the team works

closely with local providers and can refer to clinics and providers for continuity of care

after the team departs.

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Mission participants find these health outreach trips rewarding. Research shows that

students who have once engaged in humanitarian service, not only develop greater

empathy but also improved cultural competence and understanding. These changes

can carry over and impact the quality of care when the student returns to their studies

and future professions. In addition, a significant percentage of students who participate

in such service return again and again. The FUEGO Foundation offers scholarships to

students and residents to help offset travel costs.

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Outreach could not successfully give AID without the empathetic service of lay

volunteers who handle logistics, translation, data collection, etc. Volunteers have

painted clinics, delivered donated schools supplies and books, read children’s books in

Spanish, cared for infants in orphanages, led arts and crafts projects, danced with

seniors in care centers, and much more. We appreciate all who give of their time and

talents to uplift and share.