Our twelfth trip to Eucador,  CAMTA 2013 at the Un Canto a la Vida was another successful and rewarding mission.

Thirty  adults received hip arthroplasties.  We focus on adults who can return to work and make a difference in the lives of their families. Smith and Nephew, a major international orthopedic corporation, donated all the hip prostheses for the fifth consecutive year.

Our surgical teams performed 28 procedures on 20 children: hip surgeries, tendon surgeries, clubfoot surgeries and other operations. For the first time CAMTA used the Ponsetti casting method on three young children. This technique corrects congenital clubfoot without invasive surgery. All these kids will have more active childhoods and will grow up with healthy joints. 

CAMTA medical professionals offered teaching sessions to their Ecuadorean counterparts and donated surgical instruments to some of our host hospitals. We delivered a SIGN nail system to the Hospital in Macas.  Patients suffering broken bones in highway or farm accidents can now be treated  with SIGN intermedullary nails at this rural hospital, instead of having to travel to a larger center for more complex surgery, or, worse yet, not being treated at all.  Our partner Dr. Telmo Tapia is actively looking for another rural hospital where CAMTA can donate a SIGN system and train the medical personnel in its use in 2014. Drs. Paul Moreau and John Lilley also visited Babahoyo, where they gave instructions on an online reporting system, and tips for taking better photographs of X-rays.

Canadian Ambassador to Ecuador Pamela O’Donnell joined the CAMTA team at the hospital to see firsthand what we do. She spent an afternoon touring the OR and the Ward, observing part of a surgery and engaging with the team, patients and their families. Ambassador O’Donnell told the team that the work CAMTA does in Ecuador makes her very proud to be Canadian.

Ninety-two volunteers, from five Canadian provinces, one American state, and New Zealand, traveled to Quito to make the mission a success. Forty student translators from two high schools in Quito and several adult translators made explaining procedures to patients and their families much easier. We had two communications volunteers on-site to blog about the daily activities of the team. Other volunteers who stayed home in Canada gave their time and energy.

We received financial support from more than 1500 individuals and corporations, as well as donations of supplies and materials.  Rotary and Lions Clubs continue to support our work. A dozen Ecuadorean corporations donated food, supplies and medications.

Once again, we appreciate and value the team collaboration of the Tierra Nueva nurses, doctors, pharmacists, biomedical personnel and the social workers. 

2013 TEAM MEMBERS

NameRole 
Adela Sandigo GrossRN – Ward – Adult 
Alex CabralTranslator 
Alex WebbStudent – General 
Alexandra CevallosTranslator 
Aline Pourbaix YoungAdministration 
Alyssa ChappellRN – Ward – Pediatric 
Andrea WooPhysician – Family Practice 
Andrew BroadStudent – General 
Angela Rogers 
Armando EscalonaRespiratory Therapist 
Barb MoreauAdministration 
Ben HermanResident – Orthopedics 
Brenda CoriePhysiotherapist 
Cathy MoreauLay Person 
Cori DysartRN – Operating Room – Adult 
Deb ChalupaRN – Ward – Adult 
Denis JolyStudent – Medical 
Dianne CortezRN – Ward – Pediatric 
Donna BrownRN – Operating Room – Pediatric 
Edward MassonPhysician – Orthopedic Surgeon – Adult 
Eileen GuilfoyleRN – Operating Room – Pediatric 
Erin RezansoffRN – Recovery Room – Adult 
Francisco GallardoTranslator 
Glenn DayRespiratory Therapist 
Gloria RiberoRN – Ward – Adult 
Greg ZinterInformation Technologist/Patient Admitting Clerk 
Hannah TurnerTranslator 
In Memory of Consuelo AlvarezTranslator 
Jackie McDonaldRN – Operating Room – Adult 
James JarvisPhysician – Orthopedic Surgeon – Pediatric 
Janet RobertsStudent – Medical 
Janice KungCommunications – Mission Blogger 
Jenn KitzanLay Person 
Jennifer JiangStudent – General 
Jim RasoInformation Technologist/Patient Admitting Clerk 
John HolmesPhysician – Anesthesiologist – Adult 
John LilleyPhysician – Anesthesiologist – Pediatric 
Judith BlackPhysiotherapist 
Judith ChaffeeRN – Ward – Adult 
Justine FergusonPhysiotherapy Assistant 
Kathy BonitzRN – Operating Room – Adult 
Keisha St. ArnaudRN – Operating Room – Adult 
Khaled AlmansooriPhysician – Orthopedic Surgeon – Pediatric 
Kristen RedheadPhysiotherapist 
Krystle ChilibeckiPhysiotherapist 
Lisa BleackleyRN – Ward – Adult 
Lori FinleyRN – Recovery Room – Adult 
Lucina M. CorreaTranslator 
Lyn DemchukRN – Operating Room – Adult 
Lynne KorobanikRN – Recovery Room – Pediatric 
Mairi GordonRN – Recovery Room – Adult 
Marc MoreauPhysician – Orthopedic Surgeon – Pediatric 
Marina MacLeodRN – Operating Room – Adult 
Marta MoraTranslator 
Mary HurlburtPhysician – Family Practice 
Matthew MoreauTravel Person/Logistics 
Megan CashinPhysician – Orthopedic Surgeon – Pediatric 
Melaney StorozynskiRN – Operating Room – Pediatric 
Natalie BuuPhysician – Anesthesiologist – Pediatric 
Natasha LinehamRN – Ward – Pediatric 
Paul MoreauPhysician – Orthopedic Surgeon – Adult 
Paul LeungPhysician – Orthopedic Surgeon – Adult 
Pauline WorsfoldRN – Recovery Room – Adult 
Rachel OatesPhysiotherapist 
Rejean CloutierPhysician – Orthopedic Surgeon – Adult 
Robin DufresneRN – Ward – Adult 
Sabrina BrownRN – Ward – Pediatric 
Saifee RashiqPhysician – Anesthesiologist – Adult 
Saison DemitorO.R. Technician 
Sammy RuizTranslator/Logistics 
Sandra HenkelCommunications – Mission Blogger 
Sarah LefebvreRN – Ward – Adult 
Scott MoormanStudent – General 
Shannon BeggRN – Operating Room – Pediatric 
Shelley McEachernRN – Operating Room – Adult 
Shelly CarsonRN – Ward – Adult 
Steven HarkemaStudent – Nursing 
Sumit GuptaPhysician – Orthopedic Surgeon – Pediatric 
Toby CubittTranslator 
Wendy ReadLay Person