Mission – 2017

Our June 2017 Cataract Surgical and Medical Mission to Calca in the Sacred Valley of Peru was another great success!!  Over 500 medical patients and 1,384 eye clinic patients were examined, close to 1,600 pairs of distance, reading and non prescription sunglasses were dispensed, 63 eye surgeries and over 60 ultrasound procedures were performed.  This was accomplished by our 55 participants which included 11 physicians, 2 optometrists, 2 Physician Assistants, 2 Nurse Practitioners, 5 R.N.’s, 1 certified ultrasound technician, 1 Nurse Assistant, 15 medical students from Stony Brook, Columbia, St George’s University, Upstate,University of Texas and NY Osteopathic medical schools, 3 optometry students from SUNY Optometry, nurse practitioner student from Stony Brook, 5 Spanish translators, an engineer, a school teacher who provided patient education, a pharmacist, and 2 undergraduate students from Cornell University and University of Rhode Island.  We were fortunate to have our Peruvian team working with us in Calca along with the Peruvian Ministry of Health, Dr Francisco Morales, Dr Victor Rozas, Dr Frilo Silva, Dr J. Fuentes, 3 RNs, 4 Quechua translators and our on the ground logistical coordinator, Luis Loayza. We had patients come from very remote towns, some traveling 10 – 12 hours to reach us. The appreciation of the Peruvian patients that were treated was very heartwarming to our entire team.  As part of our organization’s educational component, one of our board members, George Coritsidis, M.D. was invited to be the keynote speaker at the ES-SALUD Hospital in Cuzco. Dr Victor Rozas, the Medical Director of Peruvian American Medical Society served as the interpreter.  The lecture series was well attended and well received.

Since the inception of our organization in 2011, our portable eye clinic and operating room has examined over 5,400 patients, distributed 8,300 pairs of prescription glasses/sunglasses and performed over 460 site restoring surgical procedures.  The portable medical clinic has administered health care to approximately 8,350 patients to people and performed approximately 310 portable ultrasound examinations.  We could not have done all of this work without the support of so many individuals, who have donated their time, energy, and funds to our cause.  A Promise to Peru, Inc. thanks each and everyone of you!