Hi, my name is Isabelle, and in July this year I will be heading to Panama as part of a joint medical brigade with the University of Edinburgh and Imperial College London. During the brigade, I will be working alongside licensed medical professionals and fellow volunteers to help run clinics, assist with patient care, and support public health education. Many of the communities we will serve have limited access to consistent medical services, making even basic care difficult to obtain.

Global Brigades is an international non-profit organisation that empowers communities to meet their health and economic goals through partnerships between university volunteers and local teams.

Rural communities in Panama rarely have clinics in or near them, and when they do, they are not always staffed with physicians and often face a severe lack of essential medications. The goal of this brigade is to establish and run clinics within these communities. We will provide triage, medical consultations, dental stations, health education workshops, and pharmacy units. We will be working within the local communities and helping to provide essential medical support and care.

This fundraising is crucial to help cover the cost of medical supplies, medications, clinic operations, and logistics. To help raise these funds, I am swimming a half marathon (21.1 kilometres) in one day – that’s 844 lengths of a 25-metre pool! Funds raised will help cover the cost of vital medical supplies that make this medical brigade possible. Your support not only helps make this opportunity possible for me, but also directly impacts the individuals and families who rely on these clinics for care. Leading to improved health outcomes in the rural communities.

Thank you for taking the time to read this and helping me be a part of this meaningful work!