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Annual Cataract Surgical and Medical Mission to Countries in Need

Sights on Health — Mon, 15 Jun 2015 16:06:47 +0000

Press: Stony Brook Medicine today

Annual Cataract Surgical and Medical Mission to Countries in Need

Patients eagerly await their eye patches to be removed to see what their newfound vision will be like.

Three Stony Brook University School of Medicine alums are part of a nonprofit organization called A Promise to Peru, Inc. that is set to travel to South America for its fifth year to donate their time providing critical healthcare for people in need.

The alums, Natalie DiGioia, MD ’01; Michael Sable, MD ’92; and Debra Messina, MD ’88, established the charitable group four years ago, along with Messina’s husband, Dr. George Coritsidis, and Dr. John Shanley. A Promise to Peru coordinates volunteer physicians, Stony Brook medical students and other health professionals from across the New York metropolitan area and around the United States on healthcare missions across the globe.

After serving in Peru the past several years, the mission will travel to Ecuador this June to provide similar care. This summer’s mission will consist of 54 participants and more than 50 pieces of luggage packed with supplies, ultrasound machines, medications and equipment, most of which was donated by local businesses and private citizens.

A portable full-service eye and medical clinic, as well as a portable operating room, will be transported via commercial airline. During one week, the volunteers will diagnose and surgically remove cataracts and provide general healthcare, including pediatrics, internal medicine, emergency medicine, gynecology, nephrology and ultrasonography, to numerous communities.

Students assist the physicians and nurses in their treatment of the hundreds of patients seen daily for cataract surgery and primary care. In turn, the attending physicians serve as mentors to the students.

Since the nonprofit’s inception, the medical team has accomplished:

7,000 medical exams on patients in remote villages, orphanages and schools
100 portable ultrasonography examinations
2,100 patient examinations in the eye clinic
Approximately 200 sight-restoring surgical procedures
3,700 pairs of glasses administered

The financial generosity of donors and businesses has been overwhelming. For example, JetBlue provided 45 round trip tickets (worth $40,000) for doctors, nurses, technicians, medical students and other medical personnel to travel to Lima, Peru, for the 2014 mission.

Journal by Eric Rios-Doria

Sights on Health — Fri, 22 Nov 2013 16:53:23 +0000

Having parents of Peruvian descent gave me a special connection to the mission trip. As a child, I would travel frequently to Lima, the capital, where I have many relatives. Here I was exposed to the poverty and poor health conditions of the people, which fostered my interest in global health. The mission took us to the Sacred Valley region, an area of Peru I had never visited. Working with my father, an ob-gyn, was special. Having completed his medical degree in Peru, he was excited to travel back and be involved in international medicine. I was excited to travel back and work with him to help to the people of Peru in a meaningful way.

Photo Journal by Louis Chai

Sights on Health — Tue, 24 Sep 2013 17:09:54 +0000

Thank you!

Sights on Health — Mon, 08 Apr 2013 19:22:54 +0000

A Promise to Peru thanks the following for their support for 2011, 2012 and 2013 Cataract Surgical and Medical Missions:

The past and present participants of the missions…the physicians, nurses, and other health related professional, medical students and the families who devoted their time and energies to join us in Peru these past summers:

John Shanley, MD, Debra Messina MD ,Natalie DiGioia, MD, George Coritsidis, MD, Michael Sable, MD, Robert Bobrow, MD, Peter Viccellio, MD, Raul Rios Doria, MD, Glenn Sterling, MD, Traci Downs, MD, Jack Furor, MD, Artie Sakellarides, MD, William Epstein, MD, Richard Gordon, MD, Karen Gordon, MD, Farshad Lalehzarian, MD, Victor Rozas, MD, Amanda Lehman, MD, Lorena Chichilla, CST, Miriam Mayer, MD, Tiffany Moadel, MD, Evelyn Marienberg, MD, Joyce Quick, PA, Robin Cunningham, MD, Paul Galstian OD , Pranav Patel, MD, Alice Greene, MD, Erin Healy, RN, Karen Chase, RN, Dorcas Casaula, RN, Paula Di Gioia, Julia Colmenares, Stony Brook Medical Students: Yan Cui, Amy Fuller, Emma Furlano, Bennett Hong, Anna Lyubchik, Supriya Mishra, Celine Pasheles, Elle Rathbun, Eric Rios Doria, Mike Subrize, Danielle Sganga, Jakab Tatka, Krysten Chin, Brian Krystoff, Justin Dredge, Elliot Schottland, James Connolly, Jon Young, Ruksana Rangwala, Neva Castro, Danielle Duhame, Amy Rumack, Brianne Sullivan, Saira Mehmood, Kaveh Moghbeli, Candice Miller, Mari Yasnaga, Amanda Chu, Galaxy Mudda, Elizabeth Young, Ava Satnick, Brendan Carr, Michael Yan, Nicholas Barasch, Vijay Bhat, Maria Chancay, Gaurav Chandra, Deirdre Connolly, Lisa Deuel, Kristina Dzeba, Cash Hart, Nick Furlani, Joe Hudgens, Aditid Kanth, Julian Mitton, Alyssa Nastro, Aidan Schmidt, Robert Shroyer, SB MPH program: Aleef Rahman, Erin Emmanuele, SUNY Optometry: Raluca Simi, Kim Poirier, RWJ NJ Medical Student: Louis Chai, Undergraduate students: Sean Kim(Duke University), Alexandra Coritsidis(Fordham University), Kaitlynne Cunningham(Boston College) Family members: Ellen Bobrow, Kelynn Viccellio, Erik Lalehzarian, Karyn Sable , Evan Snyder, Alex Sterling, Brendan Sterling, Angie, Anna and Valerie Sakellarides, Lauren Micelli, Nicholas Coritsidis, Isabella Mungioli, Micaela Cunningham,

Institutions, Organizations and Individuals that have given support:

- Associate Dean for International Programs at Stony Brook School of Medicine, Mark Sedler MD

- Friends NE, Mike Cipoletti and Travis Kumph

- Dr & Mrs Robert Bobrow

- Garden City Surgicenter, NY

- Anesthesia Group of Rockville Center for their generous donation

-  Surgical Eye Expeditions, Santa Barbara, California

- Paula Di Gioia website apromisetoperu.com

- Michael Coritsidis, Esquire

- Rotary Club of Middle Island

-  John & Florence Ioannou ; Stelios & Frangits Bertos ; Mrs Zina Poulos ; Mrs Terri Adamo, Dr. Jack Stern, Dr. Iris Granek, and Dr. David Cohen

- Gene Romaska

- Ophthalmic Consultants of Long Island, NY

- Blanca’s House

- Vincent Basilice, MD of The Ophthalmic Center of East Setauket, NY

- J.T. Mather Memorial Hospital, Port Jefferson, NY

- Folsom Project for the Visually Impaired, Lion’s Club of Folsom California

- -Island Eye Surgicenter in Carle Place, NY

- Ruhof Corporation

- St Anthony’s High School, S. Huntington, NY

- Southampton Elementary School, Southampton, NY

- Northport Centerport Lion’s Club, NY

- Blessed Trinity Parish in Breezy Point, NY

- LNK International, Inc

- Country Village Chemists in Huntington, NY

- T.Group/ Safilo

- Ophthalmic Consultants of Boston

Fund Raising Event:

- Coordinating Raffle baskets for tonight’s event: Frances Ng, Dr Alice Greene, Stelanie Poalillo, & Jere Freeman.

-Items donated from- Pindar Wineries, Z-Pita Bistro, Ann Marie Wine Glasses, Blue Sapphire Spa at Danford’s Inn, Dreaming Tree, Christina’s Fashion Handbags, Port Jefferson, Salon Domane, Northport, Setauket Car Wash, Amazing Olive, The Skin Clinic, Huntington, Denis Lee Salon & Spa, Gail L. Chase, Bliss Restaurant, Lindsey’s Groom Room, Lavender Field’s Interior Design, TUMI Peruvian Store Port Jefferson, Yvonne’s Boutique, Capitola, California

- The owner and staff at La Parilla Restaurant

-Dr Joseph and Frances Ng for their selection of La Parilla for our wonderful fund raising evening!

Welcome!

The 2011 Team — Sun, 13 Nov 2011 20:27:57 +0000

An annual mission to the Sacred Valley of Peru and Cuzco has been established by A Promise to Peru in an effort to provide the people in this area with health care and public health. The mission is two to three weeks in June and July and involves volunteer physicians, nurse practitioners, nurses, allied health professionals, medical students from the School of Medicine at Stony Brook University and civilian public health workers