For most of the team it is our first full day in town. Some have slept, most have not, but their is anticipation through the group that you can sense. At five a.m. the Muslim “Call-to-Prayer”…
Breakfast at the Ra Nile Hotel.
..greets the relatively small city (just over 300 thousand), and though dawn is as usual hazy with smoke, it is warm and beautiful.
There is much to organize on our first day. Still more medical equipment and supplies must be moved to the hospital, the registration station must be set-up and readied, and supplies need to be obtained for the team to work.
Mission Director Jean Bird sets up registration with Deb Nolan.
Mission Director, Jean Bird helps Deb Nolan get patient documents ready. Deb will work with a local translator, Solomon from the local Rotaract club. Rotaract is a branch of the world-wide Rotary organization which welcomes members under 30 years old.
Pediatrician Dr. Collin Yong from Vancouver is welcomed by Hospital staff.
For the dozens of hopeful that have traveled in some cases for days, this is a big day indeed. They wait patiently on and around the benches set up for them, hopeful for their opportunity to see a doctor.
Before we work, “Welcome” with the traditional coffee ceremony.
But first the hospital staff and administration must properly welcome the team. Hospital CEO, Dr. Gebeyaw who gave us all a tour of the facility the day before leads us to one of their meeting rooms where he and his staff welcome us all with flowers and the Ethiopian coffee ceremony.
Gamby Hospital co-founder Dr. Yilokal.
One of Dr. Gebe’s co-founders of the facility, Dr. Yilokal joins the other senior staff in welcoming us to Bahir Dar, now for the second year. It is clear from his comments, and those of others this morning, that a great deal of progress has been made in the care of critically injured patients at this facility.
Admitting team at work.
And now we get into the day of welcoming and assessing the many patients assembled to meet us. Deb & Solomon discuss a patient with Mesi Belay who is the hospital Outpatient Department Head.
Lead surgeon Dr. Stan Valnicek with family.
The doctors and nurses meet with patients and members of their family, discussing options and for those they can treat how this will proceed. It is a sad reality that there will be far more to come than will be able to be helped, but because of outreach missions like that of RESTOR, that not only treat but teach, those with needs are being helped more than ever before.
Rotaract member Frekai.
As we work through this long day of meeting patients and their family members, we are assisted by several Rotaract members, like Solomon mentioned above, or Frekai shown here. Whether translating, helping us find surgical gloves, or taking us shopping for bananas for a morning break, they are always there with a smile to help us out!
Blog co-editors Dina Kotler & myself, Peter Schultz.
The stories that will follow, just like those that have come before, are often tragic, indeed sad, and occasionally beautiful. For many who have endured an injury or illness early in their life there has not been any hope for a disfiguring or otherwise debilitating condition to change in their life. Until now.
– Peter Schultz