Medical

Medical
First Quarter 2012
PARTNER REPORT
Life-Saving Treatment in Sierra Leone
In Malawi, Innocent, one of our first sponsored children who graduated
as a clinical officer last year, has traveled to Russia to attend the I.P.
Pavlov Medical University to become a full-fledged doctor. He hopes to
meet the medical needs of children in Malawi when he graduates.
Our clinic in Sierra Leone continues to serve the surrounding
community. Because our resources are limited in Banta, medical staff
are focusing on improving their ability to help with referrals. Thanks to
your support, we are able to ensure our children receive all the medical
care they need. This quarter, Patrick, a child in our Ngolala Village
Partnership Program, was able to receive emergency surgery on his
Innocent’s dream is to become a doctor. “I want to use
appendix at the Catholic Hospital in a neighboring town. “I thank God
my gifts to help children who are in need,” he says.
for his life and the timely intervention you made,” says Patrick’s father.
COTN–International Sustainable Development Director Peter
Drennan predicts the two programs will give families “a life where
less of their children get sick and more can thrive.”
Dominican Republic: Major Strides in Public Health
Two projects launched in February aim to educate children and
families on basic hygiene and sanitation, as well as provide them
with the resources necessary to put their knowledge into action.
 The WASH (Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene) program, in
partnership with the University of Texas, will train local
leaders to create community health clubs and educate
members about basic hygiene and sanitation practices.
 The Rotary Club of Silverdale, WA, Ponderosa Pines Christian
Camps in Running Springs, CA, and an individual donor
provided the funds for three water purification systems in
Pueblo Nuevo, Los Robles and Altagracia. When complete,
these systems will provide access to clean water in these
communities for the first time ever!
Medical Venture Teams Reach Beyond the Community
Though COTN’s clinic in the Dominican Republic is focused on serving the
surrounding community, people sometimes come from far away when doctors
visit on Venture trips, because it’s their only chance to receive high-quality medical
care. Leidy is a child whose life has been transformed by COTN, even though
she’s not a part of the sponsorship program. She lost both her legs in a truck
accident, but received two prosthetics and yearly follow-up care from COTN
medical teams.
This quarter, children were blessed by two medical Venture team visits. Both
teams were from South Dakota, and worked together to provide the best medical
care possible. Dr. Mark Steinborn’s team worked on strategic medical screenings,
general surgeries, and patient care. Dr. Greg DeSautel’s team was able to focus on
surgeries, thanks to the screening work of Dr. Steinborn’s team.
Leidy received follow-up care from Dr.
Steinborn’s team this January.