We are happy to share that Dr Cathy Baker has joined our team for this trip. We met Dr Baker in 2021 while volunteering in Cambodia, the same trip where we met Dr Starnes. Dr Baker is a retired OBGYN surgeon, so we were excited to have her expertise and skill set. Having Dr Baker on our team has allowed us to reach yet another new patient population here on the Kenyan Coast.
In preparation for complicated OBGYN cases, Kinondo Kwetu Hospital did a blood drive. Patients who were able, donated their own blood in advance to have on hand if needed. Other healthy people also volunteered so that we had enough blood for every surgery. As a group, we have never done a blood drive here so that was interesting to learn about.
The Surgical Aid for Kenya team was able to purchase and carry a LEEP machine with us to use at Kinondo Kwetu Hospital. This machine is used in the diagnosis and treatment of cervical cancer. This machine is a FIRST at Kinondo Kwetu Hospital. Dr Baker took the time to educate both Dr Barasa and Dr Farashuu to properly use the machine. During out time, we were able to successfully use the machine on several patients, and I know there will be many more to come!
Another change that welcomes us was the transformation of the team room into OR3! Our previous two trips were so full of patients, we needed to expand our available space. While this room may not have all the bells and whistles, we can safely perform many procedures here. This space allows more patients to receive the help they so desperately need and gives more Kenyan practitioners the chance to learn from Dr Brown while we are together.
We were able to visit the school again this year and provide some much-needed help. Sadly, the school was robbed recently. The value of hard metals has increased, so someone came to the school and took the metal water faucets. The kids went for a short time with minimal water access before plastic faucets could be provided. Metal pieces were also taken out of the chairs, leaving there not to be enough for all the students. The first-grade class sat on the floor until the desks could be repaired. We brought 500 toothbrushes again so that most students received a new one. The dental program is one we hope to support during every visit.
We are so happy to announce we have funded the purchase of 100 new school uniforms. The school’s headmaster evaluated the children and listed the most in need. Our goal would be to provide every student with a uniform, but we wanted to start with those most in need. We were so happy to be able to provide so many. The uniforms are paid for by the parents, and it can be a cost too high for them. So many uniforms are passed down from one student to another and repaired multiple times before being replaced.
This trip also brought my own heart some closure. I tragically lost a coworker to cancer and a friend of mine had been holding onto her scrubs waiting for the right thing to do with them. I personally took the scrubs of my coworker and donated them to the staff at Kinondo. It filled my heart with peace and joy to know that a piece of Judy is part of our Surgical Aid for Kenya team.
This trip was a huge success. We added new equipment to the hospital, and trained staff to use it. We safely and successfully performed over 100 surgeries, including a new specialty thanks to Dr Baker. Our involvement in the school continues to grow. Although this is only our fifth trip to Kinondo Kwetu Hospital, I’m proud of how far we have come, and I’m excited for the next trip.