Missions
2018 Mission
In February/March 2018 completed our sixteenth successful Mission in Quito! Ninety-five volunteers from all over Canada and Ecuador changed the lives of 37 adults and 25 children with desperately needed orthopedic surgeries. Five of the adults and nine of the children had more than one surgery.
Our team enjoyed a visit from Canadian Ambassador to Ecuador, Marianick Tremblay. Ambassador Tremblay donned our blue scrubs, toured the administration area, kitchen (sterilizing area), pre-op, and even headed to the OR to watch a total hip replacement. Afterwards, she went up to the ward to visit with recovering patients.
Local Ecuadorian orthopod, Dr. Juan Carlos Zabala, scrubbed in with our surgeons, and continues to share new techniques with local medical personnel.
During the mission, groups of our medical volunteers participated in several presentations to local physiotherapists, nurses, general practitioners and orthopedic surgeons, residents and medical students on topics including rehabilitation techniques for stroke survivors, pre-surgery fasting guides, non-surgical treatment of osteoarthritis and adult and pediatric orthopedic topics.
| Name | Role |
|---|---|
| Adela Sandigo Gross | RN Ward Adult |
| Alessandra Gessner | Physician - Family Practice |
| Alex Cerezo | Translator |
| Alexandra Smolinski | Physiotherapist |
| Aline Pourbaix Young | Administration |
| Alyssa Chappell | RN Ward Pediatric |
| Alyssa Wilkie | RN Operating Room Pediatric |
| Amy Rausch | RN Operating Room Pediatric |
| Angela Neufeld | Physician - Anesthesiologist - Adult |
| Anna Hebert | Physiotherapist |
| Barb Moreau | Administration |
| Barb Furler | Physiotherapist |
| Bev Runka | RN Recovery Room Pediatric |
| Brenda Wright | RN Ward Adult |
| Carole Dugas | Lay Person |
| Cathleen Clarke | RN Operating Room Adult |
| Christa Gelasco | Lay Person |
| Damaris Gaete Ortega | Translator |
| Danielle Becker | RN Ward Adult |
| Dasha Johnston | RN Recovery Room Pediatric |
| Deb Chalupa | RN Ward Adult |
| Dedra Scott | Respiratory Therapist |
| Denise Raman-Nair | RN Recovery Room Pediatric |
| Don Dick | Physician - Orthopedic Surgeon - Pediatric |
| Donna Brown | RN Operating Room Pediatric |
| Edward Masson | Physician - Orthopedic Surgeon - Adult |
| Ella Dunlop | Student - General |
| Elysia Dziwenka | Lay Person |
| Eric Entwistle | RN Recovery Room Adult |
| Erica Nelson | RN Ward Adult |
| Erik Soriano | Physiotherapy Assistant |
| Erika Nguyen | Physician - Anesthesiologist - Pediatric |
| Florian Rudolph | Physician - Anesthesiologist - Pediatric |
| Francisco Gallardo | Translator |
| Gillian Kent | RN Operating Room Pediatric |
| Gordon Giesbrecht | Lay Person |
| Grant Clarke | Communications Mission Blogger |
| Greg Zinter | Information Technologist/Patient Admitting Clerk |
| Heather Perl | RN Operating Room Adult |
| Jackie Wiebe | Administration |
| Jance McGale | Resident - Orthopedics |
| Jay Valencia | Translator |
| Joanne Montgomery | Physiotherapist |
| Jordan Bunda | Communications Mission Blogger |
| Julie Cadrin | RN Ward Pediatric |
| Justine Ferguson | Physiotherapy Assistant |
| Justine Tolentino | RN Operating Room Adult |
| Karen Calhoun | Lay Person |
| Kathy Bonitz | RN Operating Room Adult |
| Kayla Strickland | RN Ward Adult |
| Khaled Almansoori | Physician - Orthopedic Surgeon - Pediatric |
| Krystle Chilibecki | Physiotherapist |
| Liz Hoeppner | Physician - Anesthesiologist - Pediatric |
| Lormirra Jezelle Alcantara | RN Ward Pediatric |
| Mairi Gordon | RN Recovery Room Adult |
| Marc Moreau | Physician - Orthopedic Surgeon - Pediatric |
| Maria Echaiz-Eguren | Translator |
| Maria Siegrist | O.R. Technician |
| Marina Francis | RN Operating Room Pediatric |
| Mark Rintoul | Respiratory Therapist |
| Marni Wesner | Physician - Family Practice |
| Martha Valencia | Translator |
| Megan Schafers | RN Ward Pediatric |
| Melanie Elhafid | Translator |
| Natasha Dugas | Student Nursing |
| Neethling van den Heever | Physician - Anesthesiologist - Adult |
| Neil Saran | Physician - Orthopedic Surgeon - Pediatric |
| Nicole Masson | Student - General |
| Nicole Webb | Physician - Anesthesiologist - Adult |
| Odette Brown | O.R. Technician |
| Olivier Gauthier-Kwan | Resident - Orthopedics |
| Omer Ahmad | Information Technologist/Patient Admitting Clerk |
| Paul Leung | Physician - Orthopedic Surgeon - Adult |
| Pauline Worsfold | RN Recovery Room Adult |
| Paulose Paul | Physician - Orthopedic Surgeon - Adult |
| Peggy Prodor | Lay Person |
| Rachel Oates | Physiotherapist |
| Rayanne Hillier | RN Operating Room Adult |
| Ricardo Rodas | RN Operating Room Adult |
| Robert Seal | Physician - Anesthesiologist - Pediatric |
| Ryan Titley | RN Ward Adult |
| Ryan Wright | Physician - Family Practice |
| Saison Demitor | O.R. Technician |
| Sara McGale | Student - General |
| Sarah Ngo | Lay Person |
| Shelaina Anderson | Resident - Family Medicine |
| Shinner Hsu | RN Ward Adult |
| Silvia Martin | Translator |
| Steve Chevalier | Lay Person |
| Surita Sidhu | Physician - Anesthesiologist - Adult |
| Sussana Gaviria | Translator |
| Tara Beatson | RN Ward Pediatric |
| Timothy Kostamo | Physician - Orthopedic Surgeon - Adult |
| Troy Bornes | Resident - Orthopedics |
| Veronica Kong | Administration |
| YOUJIN CHANG | Resident - Orthopedics |
| Yvonne Sawchyn | Lay Person |
As an outsider to the medical environment I felt as though I was able to learn from the others about their jobs.
Volunteer6
