Medical Team to Bangladesh

Hi Friends and Family,

I am calling for support at the 11th hour for assistance in helping me travel to Bangladesh to assist in the recently woresning refugee crisis.

I will be a part of the Disaster Response Group's (DRG) Backpacker Medical (BPM) team. 

You all know by now the plight of more than half a million Rohingya that have fled from Myanmar to neighbouring Bangladesh.

The atrocities being meted out on these people is well documented. The initial insertion team treated hundreds of injuries including machete wounds, gunshot wounds (in the back as people fled or were lying down asleep), burns, TB, children with life threatening malnutrition and dehydration. People have been beaten, shot, whipped, macheted, set on fire, their children killed in front of them, and then chased through treacherous conditions to reach the makeshift settlements in Bangladesh.

Most refugees are now in overcrowded, spontaneously erected camps, staying in shelters that amount to little more than bamboo poles strapped together with a bit of plastic sheeting for a roof. They have barely any access to clean water, food, sanitation or medical care.

That's where we come in. As a member of the Backpacker Medics Disaster Relief Group I have the honour joining a 8 strong team of highly trained and capable medical and logistical professionals for a two week tour leaving on Wednesday 25th October - yes this week! We are completely self funded and rely on your help and generosity to get us there and provide the aid these people desperately need. Please give whatever you can. And pass this on to anyone who you think might be able to help. Share it to your facebook - send it to your email list.

The initial Goal will cover flight/travel expenses to help get me on the ground, any funds over and above the goal will be donated to the Backpacker medics disaster relief fund 

Who I am and where I'm from:

I'm Simon Cavoli from Perth, Australia. I am a registered nurse with 5 years emergency department experience and various perioperative and medical nursing roles.

My relationship or contact to the parties I'm raising funds for:

I am  a member of a 8-strong medical and logistics team tasked with accessing the makeshift camps that have been set up with the influx of literally hundreds of thousands of refugees fleeing Myanmar. I am raising funds for myself in order to be able to deploy on this mission.

How the funds will be spent (be specific as possible):

The bulk of the funds will be spent on travel - flights from Perth Aus into Cox Bazar close to the refugee settlements. The remainder will be spent on accommodation, food, communication and internal travel once in situ. Any remaining funds will be spent on medical supplies, a lot of which will be bought locally.

My withdrawal plan to get the funds from the campaign to the ultimate beneficiary/ies:

We use our own money once on the ground. This might be cash that we take with us and exchange, or through ATM withdrawls in Cox Bazar and the use of preloaded credit cards purchased before travel. Most of the funds will be withdrawn prior to travel, but any remaining funds can be transferred to my account while away, as that is the account that I'll be drawing from while on mission.

I will be posting updates and reports during the mission, and will post an account of the trip once we return, detailing what was achieved, and how any extra donations have been allocated.

You can still donate while I am away, all funds will go to assist in the care of the refugees

Anything helps, I can't thankyou enough

Simon