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Hi everyone!
Several people have reached out to me inquiring about donating towards the medical mission trip I will be attending Nov 8-15, 2025, in Malawi, Africa with the Madgy Malawi Foundation.
If you would like to donate and be a part of this incredible surgical mission trip, any little bit helps! I can assure you, the hospital, clinic, our surgical team, and the people of Malawi and surrounding countries are extremely grateful and appreciative of your thoughts, prayers and generosity!
This will be my second year providing anesthesia overseas in Blantyre, Malawi with The Madgy Malawi Foundation. This is a non-profit medical/surgical otolaryngology (ear, nose, and throat) organization that provides an array of treatments to the severely underserved country and surrounding countries of Malawi, Africa. Last year we had ~50 patients on the schedule, including several children. Our days consisted of 10-12+ hours of surgeries each day with 90-degree ORs and limited medications, tools, supplies, etc. The ENT doctors also see several patients in the clinic and round on patients in the wards when they are not operating. Anytime one of us has downtime, we try to help staff with tasks and spend time with the patients and families staying on the hospital campus and in the wards.
The Madgy Malawi Foundation has been growing for years, and the number of patients in need of our services continues to rise exponentially each year. Last year we had a crew of 10, and this year we have over 15 medical volunteers participating in the clinic and 3 ORs. The surgical schedule is still being finalized but it is projected to be more than last year.
To give a little perspective on how desperate and hopeful the people of Malawi are for our annual trip, last year patients walked for days, over 100 miles, and from bordering countries just to see us in hopes of having life-changing and/or life-saving treatments and surgeries. Malawi, at the time, was experiencing an extreme shortage of gas/petrol, so most of the patients walked and slept outside of the hospital as they waited for days with limited food and water for our arrival in order to make it to their appointments and surgeries. I was truly touched when I saw mothers with babies just a few days old along with their other children, generations of families, the elderly, physically disabled, etc., all gathered on the hospital campus grounds, with huge smiles, waving and welcoming our surgical team as we arrived. The amount of appreciation and gratitude the southeast African community has for The Madgy Malawi organization is unmatched to anything I have seen before.
And not only does The Malawi Madgy Foundation provide care to the community, but we provide training, tools, supplies, medications, etc., for the staff to continue to treat patients in our absence as well. The staff truly appreciates this aspect of the organization. So much so, that most walked hours round trip to work just to learn and help facilitate the surgical week. Usually, the staff takes public transportation to and from the hospital, but some days the public transportation was not an option due to the fuel shortage. But, the training and assistance we offer is so imperative for the success of their clinic that every staff member was present, regardless of the transportation circumstances. Truly amazing people!
Aside from medical aid, we like to bring joy and happiness to the children and patients in the hospital wards. Last year we brought several large suitcases full of toys, soccer balls, coloring books, candy, reusable grocery bags (huge hit with the adults), donated clothes, etc. I cannot express how grateful and joyous everyone was from these small gifts. You could feel the immediate shift in energy. Such a simple gesture from us was so impactful to help boost morale, distract patients from their anxious anticipation of surgery and the pain with recovery, and it positively benefited their overall mental health throughout the entire process.
This is truly an amazing organization, and I say that with both experience and excitement to participate again on November 8-15, 2025, in Malawi . Donations will be for medical supplies, logistics, required ENT devices, anesthesia equipment, patient morale boosters (small gifts), necessary medications, preoperative and postoperative aide, etc. The remaining amount will go directly to the hospital clinic for needs such as: updated medical equipment, necessary medications*, new supplies**, training equipment and programs for Malawian surgical residents and anesthesia providers, building another OR room, expanding the clinic, etc., in order to serve more people in need.
*Antibiotics, pain medicine, antiemetics, steroids (for tumors and nausea), etc.
**Currently, all tools and supplies are being cleaned in solution and reused. This includes breath tubes, bodily fluid suction devices, all surgical equipment, etc. It would be amazing if patients were able to have new, clean/sterile equipment for their surgery instead of soaked, hung-to-dry, and reused devices. (As you can imagine, diseases are easily spread from patient-to-patient, unfortunately.)
Regardless of monetary donations, thoughts and prayers for the patients and their families during their travels, operations, and recovery are most appreciated!! May the good Lord continue to love and protect the amazing people of Malawi and our team as we return for another incredible week of life-changing work!
Thank you for your thoughts, prayers, support, encouragement, kindness and generosity!! - You’re truly the best!