Missions

Med 4 Ukraine | June 2022

The February 2022 invasion of Ukraine forced millions of people to leave their homes and the ongoing violence made it impossible for them to return. As a globally minded health organization, we wanted to get involved right away and the perfect opportunity came through some Ukrainian friends. For months, they filled huge trucks with food, medicine and other supplies and drove them into Ukraine to be distributed to people surviving through the violence. Thanks to you, we were able to send $50,000 to help with this effort. It was enough to fill an entire truck with food, medicine, women’s hygiene products, baby formula and diapers. The supplies were distributed throughout seven different cities: Kiev, Jitmir, Brusilov, Makariv, Irpin, Bucha, Borodyanka and Nikolaev.

Med 4 Fiji | April 2022

Although the surgical team was still held on stand-by, Dr. Brody was able to return to Fiji for a quick but productive trip. She met with health officials to discuss the future of Med4OurWorld in Fiji and reconnected with many local Fijian friends and healthcare workers who have helped us achieve our goals over the last eight years. She took inventory of the Med4OurWorld equipment that has been stored in a container on Taveuni since before the pandemic and was even able to perform a successful systems check on the stored laparoscopy equipment. She also triaged and treated 50 women on two islands and in the villages. This was the first field run for the portable Butterfly ultrasound and it proved to be invaluable. With it, she could evaluate women with fibroid tumors, ovarian cysts, pelvic pain, malpositioned IUDs and healthy pregnancies. We cannot wait to get a full surgical team back to Fiji to help the growing line of women waiting for restorative medical care.

End of Year | 2020

2020 put a lot of our programs on hold, but your generosity still made so much good possible! From feeding front-line healthcare workers to scholarships for medical students, this community came through in a big way. Find out more by reading below or watching this video.

Feed The Frontline | Spring 2020

2020 was many things, but it was defined by one thing: a global pandemic, the novel Coronavirus. As it spread across the US, it became clear that our team would not be able to travel to Fiji for our annual mission. Instead, they would be needed in a very urgent way right in their own hospitals, working with patients fighting for their lives against the virus. Doctors and nurses worked long hours, putting themselves at risk and often had to be separated from their families. As a medically-focused organization, we jumped in to support them in any way possible.

We decided to offer our appreciation and support of their hard work by bringing them meals during their hospital shifts. Donations came in from all over the country toward this cause and together we fed a total of 7,151 healthcare workers in hospitals, nursing homes and fire stations in San Diego, Los Angeles, New Orleans, New York and Honolulu. For each of the meal deliveries, we looked to source through locally-owned restaurants that were struggling to stay open. This made for an even larger impact of every dollar donated.

As we wrapped up the Feed the Frontline campaign, our sights moved to hospitals in developing countries where they were fighting the same deadly virus without the most basic supplies. We launched the campaign “Supply the Frontline” and were able to send over $1,500 worth of medical supplies to a hospital in Tijuana, Mexico.

MED 4 FIJI | May 2019

In 2019, MED 4 FIJI sent 2 surgical mission teams over 16 days and included 32 volunteers. We evaluated over 100 patients and performed 30 surgeries including treatment of two patients with cancer. We continued our efforts in medical education with 2 Fijian Anesthesiology resident physicians from the Fiji School of Medicine who each spent a week with us learning new skills from our teams.

Our maternity outreach expanded tremendously this year with a doula (birth coach) and a Certified Lactation Consultant on the team. They brought many needed supplies for Labor & Delivery and postpartum, as well as education and training for newborn care and breast-feeding for both patients and the local nursing staff.

Because of the longterm relationships that have been built between ourselves and the local OBGYN physicians on the 2 main Fijian islands, we were asked to help manage 3 high-risk pregnant women. All 3 safely delivered under the care of our team, saving them the long journey to the main islands for their deliveries.

The MED 4 renovation team, consisting of 4 volunteers, worked over a 3 week period with local Fijians to build our beautifully designed reproducible and sustainable hurricane-proof roof over the medical supply storage container and volunteer break room.

During this year’s 10th international mission, an exciting vision was born for Med4OurWorld to build a new Women’s Health Center on the hospital land that would offer a broad variety of women’s health services, including dedicated areas for prenatal, postnatal and pediatric checkups and spaces for educational and support programming. Med4OurWorld is excited by the amazing opportunities emerging for the future, and we are eager to continue championing the cause of women’s health care in Taveuni, Fiji

MED 4 FIJI | May 2018

Our MED 4 FIJI 2018 team of 17 volunteers, a Fijian anesthesiology resident physicians and a Fijian Ob/Gyn attending physician from the Fiji School of Medicine, evaluated over 100 patients and completed 33 surgical procedures. Four of the surgeries included the treatment of cervical cancer, uterine cancer and bladder cancer. Our team also aided and assisted in the resuscitation and stabilization of premature twins that delivered unexpectedly at 34 weeks and required medical evacuation via helicopter to the main island of Fiji.

The MED 4 renovation team helped with the completion of the new volunteer break room, constructed out of a shipping container earlier this year.

Board member and doula, Marisa Callahan, joined the mission team for the first time and recognized the huge need for supplies for Labor and Delivery and nursing moms postpartum, spearheading efforts to begin to meet these needs.

The highlight of the mission was receiving a visit from Percy, the 12 year old boy struck by a car in 2017. Seeing his miraculous recovery reminded us of why we are mission volunteers….to HELP Heal Every Life Possible!

MED 4 FIJI | May 2017

Our MED 4 FIJI 2017 team of 20 volunteers and 2 Fijian resident physicians, an anesthesiologist and an OB/Gyn from the Fiji School of Medicine evaluated over 100 patients and completed 31 surgical procedures. Our efforts included the triage, stabilization, and transport of a 12 year old boy struck by a car who was critically injured with major head trauma. Miraculously, he made a full recovery.

The MED 4 renovation team participated in various construction projects including the renovation of on-site medical housing for the residing Taveuni Hospital physician and their family, which had gone into disrepair.

MED 4 FIJI | May 2016

Our team of 17 volunteers evaluated over 80 patients and completed 20 obstetric and gynecologic surgeries, including the second ever emergency cesarean section on the island! One of the family practice physician on the team partnered with the Fijian community health nurse and went to several outlying villages to go door-to-door performing pap smears in homes and educating the local women about feminine health.

The MED4 renovation team installed improved sound equipment in the hospital and continued with the cyclone relief work in nearby villages, rebuilding roofs and porches on the kindergarten schools. The renovators also met with local officials to start a new clean water system in the villages where running water is not available.

Fiji Relief Effort from Cyclone Winston | March 2016

In February 2016, Fiji was devastated by the category 5 storm, Cyclone Winston. This was the largest cyclone ever documented to hit the South Pacific and Taveuni was hit dead-on, leaving its mark of destruction across the island. In March 2016, MED 4 OUR WORLD partnered with the Loloma Foundation to provide food, water, and shelter distribution to the Fijians impacted by the storm. A team of three MED 4 OUR WORLD volunteers was on the ground in Fiji within days of the cyclone and stayed for several weeks organizing and providing food, water, shelter, and reconstruction. The team also educated local community members on critical aspects of building reinforcement to prevent housing and building destruction by a future cyclone.

MED 4 EGYPT Scout Trip 2015

MED 4 OUR WORLD traveled to Cairo Egypt to scout the area for a possible future medical mission. After a thorough survey of the area with many meetings with Egyptian hospital directors, surgeons, and nurses it was ultimately decided that a MED 4 EGYPT mission trip would likely not be on MED 4 OUR WORLD’s agenda in the near future. This decision was made based on logistical and safety issues for our volunteers. MED 4 OUR WORLD is open to new opportunities worldwide, but always keeping the safety of our patients and volunteers paramount.

MED 4 FIJI | May 2015

Our team of 10 volunteers and a local Fijian OB/Gyn attending physician evaluated 75 patients and completed 30 obstetric and gynecologic outpatient surgical procedures, including the first cesarean section ever performed on the island!

The renovation team worked closely with the local Fijians to renovate two large bathrooms in the 50 year old outpatient medical buildings, drastically improving the hospital hygiene for the patients.

MED 4 FIJI | May 2014

A team of seven volunteers, including five medical volunteers and two hospital renovators, in collaboration with the Loloma Foundation and the Fiji School of Medicine, travelled to the Taveuni Hospital on Taveuni Island, Fiji. The team delivered new medical equipment, evaluated over 40 patients, and completed 14 gynecological outpatient surgeries. In addition, the team offered classes to midwifery staff, built hospital seating and made numerous other hospital improvements.

On this inaugural mission trip to Fiji, Dr. Brody shipped over laparoscopic equipment from the United States since laparoscopy was and is still in its infancy in Fiji. The team performed the first minimally invasive laparoscopic surgeries on the island and Med 4 Fiji donated the laparoscopic equipment to Taveuni hospital for future use.

Dr. Brody was also able to make key contacts with the local people and Fiji Ministry of Health in an effort to bring more advanced obstetric and gynecologic care to the women of Fiji.

MED 4 NICARAGUA | April 2012

Our 23 person team travelled to the Roberto Clemente Clinic, a non-profit clinic in Limon, Nicaragua as well as Rivas Hospital in Rivas, Nicaragua. The team delivered new medical supplies, evaluated over 80 patients, and completed 29 inpatient and outpatient general surgery and gynecological surgeries.

MED 4 NICARAGUA | April 2011

A team of 22 medical and non-medical volunteers, in collaboration with a mission trip from North Coast Calvary Chapel, returned to El Samaritano Clinic in Managua, Nicaragua.

The team, which also included a Nicaraguan anesthesiologist and a Nicaraguan medical student, delivered new medical supplies, evaluated over 100 patients and completed 33 gynecological and general outpatient surgeries in three days. The team also worked with local health care providers to offer continuing education by teaching laparoscopic surgical skills to the local surgeons.

MED 4 NICARAGUA | May 2010

MED 4 OUR WORLD’s first medical mission trip was to Nicaragua and consisted of four volunteers who traveled to the El Samaritano Clinic, an independent outpatient surgical center in Managua, Nicaragua. The team brought all the medical supplies and equipment they would need in their luggage and completed seven outpatient gynecological surgeries. The team adopted the name “Med 4 Nicaragua” and a future medical mission organization was born.

The Trip That Inspired It All | Nicaragua 2010

Dr. Christine Brody, an ObGyn, and Valishia Chapman first met while on a mission trip to the Casa Bernabe orphanage in Puerto Cabezas, Nicaragua in early 2010. Dr. Brody and Mrs. Chapman travelled to the Casa Bernabe orphanage with a non-medical mission team from North Coast Calvary Chapel in Carlsbad, California to teach the teenage girls at the orphanage about women’s health and hygiene.Their desire to help not only the kids but the entire community around them spurred the first medical mission later that year to the El Samaritano Clinic. Essentially this was the creation of MED 4 OUR WORLD.