Karina Vattana

Buffalo NY

Passionate About:

Medical Missions, Primary Care, Family Medicine, Global Health, Community Service

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Highlighted Initiative

UB Haiti Medical Mission Trip 2015

Karina's Message

As many of you know, while we were growing up, my parents, aunts, uncles, friends and church family taught my sisters and I to thank God for our blessings and encouraged us to help the less fortunate as much as we could. This passion to serve others that I have learned from you all, my family and friends, was one of the main reasons that I set upon this medical school path.

I'm extremely excited to share with you all that I will be spending my first year Spring Break in Haiti; I, along with twelve medical students, two nurse practitioners and a doctor will be traveling to a small, remote village called Fontaine, Haiti to open up a primary care clinic for the week. There is more information about our mission below, but Fontaine is a village where the nearest health care is two hours away on foot and is too far away for many to travel to.

We will be bringing as much medical supplies, medical equipment and supplies as we can hold in suitcases from the US and this is where I'm asking for your help. We are looking for donations that will allow us purchase the medical supplies and medications that we need for our trip. 100% of the donations we receive will go towards the purchase of these necessary medicines, creams, antibiotics, antifungal treatments and feminine hygiene products; all of us students will be paying for our own flights and travel expenses. Every donation you make is tax deductible.

Please consider donating and supporting me in this exhilarating, sobering, exhausting and eye-opening experience. If you would like to donate supplies, please contact me as we have a wish list. Thank you all and love you all so much.

Volunteer Activity Description

Since the devastating 2010 earthquake that caused more than a quarter-of-a-million deaths and left the nation’s infrastructure in tatters, Haiti has moved off the front page of US newspapers and far from the minds of most Americans. Unfortunately, despite major international relief efforts, for many Haitians the suffering continues – especially in the area of health care. Absent a sustained nationwide solution to this problem, small targeted medical missions offer the best hope for otherwise marginalized populations.

We, a group of University at Buffalo medical students committed to providing healthcare to the world’s most vulnerable people, are seeking support for a medical mission to Haiti under the guidance of Dr. David Holmes, Director of Global Health at the University at Buffalo. Dr. Holmes has many years of experience in international medicine, including time in Haiti.

Specifically, our intent is to establish a five-day mobile-clinic in the village of Fontaine, roughly 100 miles north of the capital Port-au-Prince. Currently, the residents of Fontaine must walk more than two hours for the nearest chance of medical care, which is at best hit or miss. At our clinic, they will be able to receive a range of services, including primary care, pre-natal and gynecological care.

The clinic will be run out of St. Gabriel’s school, which is sponsored by the American organization, Friends-of-Fontaine and where one of our group members has focused much of his work. Our goal is to build a lasting and sustainable partnership between the Buffalo medical community, the people of Fontaine, St. Gabriel’s and Friends-of-Fontaine.

We know this is no small endeavor. Therefore, we are in need of financial donations and gifts in the form of medications and medical supplies. We ask that you please consider supporting our effort.

If you would like to make a contribution, please hit the DONATE icon and please indicate that your donation is for the “UB Medical Mission”.
All donations are tax-deductible.

“Friends of Fontaine” is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization whose mission is:
“to foster growth and development in Haiti through education.”

$550.00

of $700.00

in donations needed to reach the Initiative Goal

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Thank you for your support!

of 18

volunteers needed to reach the Initiative Goal

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Karina Vattana joined UB Haiti Medical Mission Trip 2015

3397 days ago

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