Medical mission to Ambato, Ecuador

I am a pediatric occupational therapist and for the last seven years I have been participating in a medical mission. Every year I travel to Ambato, Ecuador with a team of surgeons, occupational and physical therapists, nurses and orthotists to provide free surgical and therapeutic care to hundreds of children with physical disabilities who have limited access to health care. This year my friend and colleague, Tripta Velamoor, who is the fieldwork coordinator and clinical lecturer for the graduate OT program at Iona College will be joining me, and we are both very excited with this opportunity!

In addition to volunteering as OTs on this mission, Tripta and I, along with the other volunteers, are working together to raise funds to help support the mission. The money raised will be used to purchase the needed supplies for making splints, and building adaptive devices and adaptive seating that will help the children to participate in family and community activities. Funds raised will also be shared with volunteers who need support to cover travel and accommodation expenses, as well as the costs associated with transporting extensive amounts of supplies that are needed in Ecuador, as well as to purchase additional supplies in Ecuador.

We are hoping to gather all the needed supplies no later than January 30th, 2020. Your generosity will greatly influence the outcome of our trip, benefiting hundreds of children and their families in Ecuador.

We are grateful for any kind of support you can provide in order to make this mission another successful experience!

Sending all our love and gratitude,

Sandra and Tripta