CAMEO Medical Missions: Comments from Previous Volunteers

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Testimonials from Previous Volunteers

I just wanted to thank everyone on this trip for everything they have done. Mama Keen and David have created something so special that I feel words cannot describe what this trip does to a person. It changes you in so many positive ways. This trip has truly reminded me why I study until 3 in the morning almost every other night. On this trip you truly learn many things, but one of the most important things is that it is much better to give than to receive. I got way more from the people we saw than they got from me. To them, they got a few pills but to me, meeting them meant much, much more. I came on this trip hoping to come closer to God and little did I know that God was going to do his work though me like I have always asked him for. To Mama, I can't wait to see you again and to David, I cannot wait to go on a trip where I get to work with you. You will always have a doctor for trips when I get out of med school. Also, another big "Thank You" to Dr. LaRosa and Dr. Liz because I have learned so much about medicine. I now know I have a true calling and God has a plan for me to help people for the rest of my life. I love you all.

God Bless,

Todd Dimmick

Jamaica, the land of great coffee and awesome people. It was here that I learned about affection and how a little help could go a long way. I remember the first day on the job. I was sent to the infirmary. There I experienced my second culture shock. Seeing the things I saw made me realize that our miseries didn’t nor would ever compare to the misfortunes these people go though daily. Working with the doctors was amazing. Never had I seen such enthusiasm and excitement come from two dedicated people. Their great personalities and eagerness to help made me realize that becoming a doctor was indeed my passion. Also, my attitude towards community service changed completely. It opened my eyes and made me understand that working with underdeveloped communities could alter one’s personality. The CAMEO team assigned to Buff Bay was awesome. Everyone bonded very well and all of us shared the same goal, to help those in need. Coming to Jamaica was truly a life changing experience. Providing medical services to the people was amazing especially when we were able to witness how something so small could change another’s life completely. Although we share moments of sadness and sorrow, coming to Jamaica also created a greater chemical bond between 14 complete strangers having the same determination and medical goals. CAMEO was an awesome trip and the experiences were definitely unforgettable.

Thank You!!!

Jennifer Santamaria

CAMEO brought me to Jamaica to help those in need, but I found out the one in need was me. The magnitude of help we provided for the Jamaicans was nothing compared to what they bestowed upon me. This was a medical mission yet turned into a mission of self-discovery and close friendships. I did not know if medicine was the right path for me to take, but to know that we made many lives change for the better sparked a fire in me that I do not wish to put out. To be introduced and welcomed whole-heartedly into a culture of great food, faith, praise and love, really opened my eyes even more to the beautiful spectrum the world contains. It also showed me how “a change of life” is needed for those neglected and underserved even though they live life to the fullest. I want to thank CAMEO for allowing me to re-surface and shine on a purpose and discover the path of hope.

Thanks for the chance of a lifetime.

Michelle Haines

I thank those who gave me the opportunity to be of service to the Jamaican people. I believe I speak for everyone when I say we have all been touched by this trip, and it is my hope we have had the same effect on those we aided and those around us.

With love and respect,

Terek Arce

Take me to Jamaica! I never know how to start these things, especially this one because so much has happened to me mentally as well as physically. I wasn’t expecting this trip to affect me as much as it did. I thought, “Yeah, I’ll get some experience and be on a vacation at the same time but it turned out to be way more than that. Through these past few days I realized that I wasn’t just helping people, I was changing lives and that alone was a BIG wakeup call (smack in face if you will). (These people were so appreciative and loving and are calmed by their faith. I truly believe they “walk by faith, not by sight.”) Knowing that you could change someone's life is a bit overwhelming. I cried for a good 20 minutes on the van, but they were tears of joy. Actually, I think all of us cried at one point or another on this trip, including Colette and Dennis – the two people I thought I wouldn’t see cry. I just wish I could do more…bring more meds or glasses or food, clothing, etc. The fact of the matter is that these people need us to help them because they are lacking so many things. This puts me in a position to be thankful for what I’ve got; my health, working and active body parts and good people (like this awesome trip) that surround me and bring joy to my life. As an aside, this trip made me contemplate the idea of med school a lot. I meditated and prayed about it and I decided, this is what I want to do for the rest of my life. I want to live for a purpose, not just live and that purpose is helping those in need. Thus, I have come to the decision to go to med school. So what if I don’t graduate on time, but who does? So I guess that you can say that I am a changed woman, but for the better. I want to thank you for allowing me to grow on this trip by developing a sense of self”. I have also grown spiritually as well as hope that it continues to. Thank you again, you truly touched my life, but it doesn’t stop there. You touched all our lives, and this love that we have been touched with, will radiate like the sun and spread like a wild fire. We love you very much. Thank you for this eye enlightening experience.

With love,

Christina

There are no words to describe what I have seen and felt in the past few days. I have been fortunate to travel to many places so far in my life, Jamaica being one of them, but never have I experienced a travel like this. Not only has this been a physical adventure, but it has also served as a mental and emotional roller coaster as well. The reason I have loved this trip so much is because I got to pursue my passion for helping others even more and live life for the week through their eyes. I have a much greater respect for these people and this country. Not that I had a bad view before, I just know now how much many of them live their daily lives. Aside from the great fulfillment I have gotten from providing care to all these amazing people, I have also made new bonds with some people a little closer to home, people I am now happy and honored to call my friends. This has been the best "spring break” of my life, and I wouldn’t trade the memories and friendships I have made for anything in the world.

Alisha Pineiro

It is hard to put into words the experience I've had on this trip, without crying that is. Tears of joy. Tears of happiness. Tears of sadness. Mama Keen and Dr. Keen were totally right about either loving it or hating it. I truly loved it. It has left such a deep mark on my heart like no other. I knew this trip was going to change me but the degree of change was unexpected. The first day of clinic impacted me the most. When we arrived everyone was cheering and singing. They gave a devotion and I cried. Throughout the day, I sat and watched and listened to everything that was going on around me. During that time, I had mixed emotions. It was sad to see what the people were going through. It was awesome to see the people trying their hardest to help and I was grateful to be a part of it. On the way home back that day, I couldn’t stop crying. All I could think about was what those people were going through. But it gave me strength and power to get back to it the next day, and the next, and the next. As each day passed, I saw more and more of why I was here. I felt that I accomplished what was needed to be accomplished. The amount of information I learned is unbelievable. Not only about the medical field but also the country of Jamaica. I have made a new family and home. One that I will cherish forever. To Mama Keen, Dr. Steve, Dr. Liz, Matt, Colette, Christina, Jennifer, Michelle, Dennis, Todd, Alicia and Terek, I thank you from the bottom of my heart for guiding me through this life change. It breaks my heart to leave my new family and home. That is why I will return. I will continue to give as much love and energy to those who need it. I will come back to Jamaica, until then I will share and dream all that I have experienced.

Jennifer Rhodes

This life is beautiful

This life is sad

Right now I feel dutiful

Right now I feel so mad

These people only need our help

These people only need our love

We cannot give them everything

We cannot help them all

But education is one thing we bring

That makes all the other aspects small

And we are sharing our love and wealth

For we are directed from above.

I give thanks for CAMEO

I give thanks for volunteers

Without them I would not know

How important are the tasks I have in the following years

I pray our hearts will focus

I pray that they will not stray

We need to remember what our hope is

We need to remember how we feel this day

I will be back, to give and to receive

I will be back, in CAMEO I believe!

Thank You God! Thank You Mama Keen! Thank You Dr. Keen! Thank You Dr. La Rosa! Thank You Dr. Liz! Thank You Colette! Thank You Alicia! Thank You Christina! Thank You Jenn R! Thank You Jennifer S! Thank You! Thank You Michelle! Thank You Terek! Thank You Todd! Thank You Jamaica! You are beautiful to me.

Dennis St. Pierre-Charles

When I sit back and reflect on the last ten days the only word that comes to mind is amazing Within moments of arriving in Jamaica I knew this trip would be like no other and the life lesson I would learn would be greater than any other. I'll never forget the first morning of clinic; we arrived at the clinic site and were greeted by the praise songs of the church members waiting to be seen. I remember thinking they have so little but here they are rejoicing for what has been provided. Right then and there it hit me how truly blessed I am. I also gained a respect for the doctors and nurses who provided care to the Jamaican people; they are truly in medicine for the right reasons. This mission trip not only allowed me to gain medical and pharmaceutical knowledge it gave me the chance to come away with a greater respect for another culture. I feel blessed to have been a part of such a great group of people and to have provided care to over 700 people. Given the chance to do it again I wouldn't think twice, it was an opportunity of a lifetime that strengthened my desire to give aid to others in need. Marla Rapalje

I truly feel blessed for the opportunity to travel with IMO to Jamaica during Spring Break 2006. Knowing that there was a great deal of people that needed our help before embarking on this trip, it was very humbling to actually travel, interact, and experience these great people firsthand. It was nice to be around people that truly appreciated any help they received, even if it was as simple as giving them a pair of reading glasses that allowed them to see for the first time in years. The memories gained from this medical mission trip will last a lifetime and have served to strengthen the desire within me to pursue a life and career in medicine

Robert Durand

Volunteering for this program was an eye opening experience for me. As a nurse-in-training I was able to apply my knowledge in a variety of different situations. I learned a great deal on this trip as well and got the chance to observe and assist doctors and nurses. This trip was one of the most rewarding experiences of my life and I would do it again in a heartbeat. I would recommend this experience to all pre med, and nursing students who want to expand on their knowledge base, help some people who are in great need, and have a great time while doing it. Words almost cannot even describe how wonderful my experience was in Jamaica. We spent four amazing and long days in clinic. The first day of clinic I knew I had made a great decision to come on this trip. We were able to see what the real people of Jamaica deal with on a day-to-day basis. These people had so little in material things, but were so wealthy in spirit. They were so grateful for what little in the grand scheme of things that we had brought to them. Some of the services and medications that we were offering them are things that we take for granted everyday like Tylenol and other over the counter medications. What really showed the appreciation of the people was the ceremony that they put on for us on one of the last nights. At the end we were bombarded with hugs. I don't think I've ever been hugged so much and felt so good about something I had done for another human being. I learned so much about the varying cultural differences along with valuable medical knowledge. I really feel that traveling to Jamaica helped me grow as a person on so many levels. I hope the opportunity to travel abroad and give medical care arises again for me in the future. Carolanna Lawson

My experience on the medical mission to Jamaica was invaluable to me on so many levels. Being a pre-med student, I was particularly excited to gain some hands-on experience with healthcare working in the clinics we were going to set up. This I did indeed get, I think spent more time interacting with patients in these few days than I ever did during weeks of volunteering at hospitals at home. But besides the valuable medical experience that I gained, I also benefited greatly from the opportunity to see what life was like for people from such a different culture. I loved being able to interact with people who had such a different way of life from mine, though it often presented many challenges (such as understanding the Jamaican dialect sometimes I forgot they were speaking English!). These differences between our cultures constantly reminded me that as healthcare professionals we must never make assumptions or take anything for granted. Instead we must make sure to connect with each patient on a personal level. Only when we understand where the patient is coming from can we treat them effectively, whether they are from a country on the other side of the world or from our own home town. Each place we went to had its own character and attitude toward us, but always everyone was very appreciative of what we were doing there, and this was very gratifying to me. Working in the clinics had its stressful moments, but at the end of each day I felt like I had really helped some people who would not have gotten any medical care if it hadn't been for us. That chance to help some people who were in such great need, as well as the medical and cultural experience I gained, made this mission trip an invaluable experience that I will never forget.

Mary Currie

I would like to thank you for allowing me to be a part of one of your international medical missions. I learned a great deal about the Jamaican culture and different lifestyles that encompass the island. I gained knowledge about certain medicines and their uses in the body. I learned how to test blood sugar levels and I felt that I dispensed a plethora of information about the subjects of diabetes and the overall danger it poses, as well as adjacent threats that having a high glucose level can cause on the human body. The overall experience, despite its apparent ups and downs in getting to Jamaica and leaving from Jamaica, was a treasure that I will cherish and continue to grow as an individual and as a person seeking to be in the medical profession.

Alleen Weathers

Doing a mission trip with IMO was probably one of the best decisions I have made in college. It felt great to help so many people in just a couple of days and to see a new country at the same time. My favorite part would have to be playing with the children and giving out candy to them. This was my first medical mission trip, and now I plan on doing many more.

Steven Schmid

Imagine you are on an island. The beaches, the palm trees, the mountains; you're in paradise. Every morning the sun shoots through the window to wake you up. You get up, get dressed, and start driving. Only what you see looks nothing like the paradise you've seen in magazines. You get to a small church where 50 people are waiting outside in the heat. Some have walked 10 miles just to see your medical team. There's no air conditioning, just makeshift fans and the occasional breeze. You see patient after patient. Some are very sick; some have life-threatening conditions such as diabetes or hypertension and have no idea. These people cannot afford medications that might very well keep them alive. This idea puts a pit in your stomach as you're left to wonder: Why did I choose this? Your answer comes in two words and a smile: "Thank you". Once you hear those words it's finally clear: laying on a beach is nice, but no where near as humbling, productive, or emotionally and spiritually gratifying as helping those in need. Sally Neill

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