DocTours Newsletter January 2014

Hi Everyone,

The December-January holiday season seems to get busier every year! We had three medical students helping an ophthalmologist in Fiji, a team of three doctors, midwife and two medical students worked in Tanzania (and who could resist a safari and a visit to Zanzibar afterwards?) and read about the experience of an emergency doctor volunteering in the Kathmandu Valley. In the meantime, we paid a quick visit to Cambodia to visit some of our volunteers and partners doing some great work there.

More details below.

Thank all of our volunteers who have dedicated themselves to helping others.

Something awesome – Volunteering in the Kathmandu Valley

For Australian GP Steve Margolis, taking his much needed medical skills to Nepal proved a fulfilling and educational experience. His wife travelled with him and gave support to
teachers in the local school classrooms, engaged in conversational English with the older students, played singing games with the younger students and did some one-on-one work where there was a need.

Read about their experience published in the Good Practice Magazine, JanuaryFebruary
2014 with thanks to the RACGP.

Something awesome – Volunteering in Fiji

This is an international team made up of Dr. Lum and his family, Dr. Ross and 3 medical students from DocTours Australia…. Thanks to the Lum Team for their service to provide the gift of sight through cataract/pterygium surgery and general eye exams to many patients. All care is provided completely free of charge at this medical clinic in Fiji. One of the students wrote to us to say:

“I just wanted to say a huge thank you for organising such a fantastic trip to Fiji. It was an amazing experience, surpassing all expectations! We were so well looked after and I couldn’t have asked for a better week!! I hope you had a lovely Christmas, and Happy New Year! thanks again, Anna”

DocTours and Doctors in Tanzania

Read what our volunteers in the field are saying about Tanzania:

“Thank you so much Karin. Our placement is going really well, the staff at the hospital are very friendly and we’ve seen some amazing things. The volunteer house is good, and Moshi is fun, so very enjoyable :).”

Another volunteer has extended her journey:

“I love it all here”.

“Hi Karin, Yes we made it here safely. It’s really nice here. We met with Josephine
this morning and we’re both really happy with our placements. Thanks for all your
help organising our stay here.”

Christmas in Cambodia

We managed a quick trip to Cambodia over the Christmas ‘break’ to meet with the various hospitals and medical clinics that need some help. We met with some our Aussie nurses volunteering in Cambodia. Despite their youth, they have been sharing their knowledge and best practice with the local nurses. We visited an orphanage in Phnom Penh to discuss their priorities in the medical clinic. Whilst not technically ‘orphans’ their parents and grandparents work long hours to try to put food on the table and therefore many children are left on their own every day. We walked past the nursery and found these two gorgeous little tots that needed a cuddle. Always happy to help!!!!