Tuesday, March 24, 2009

Letters for Lenten Reflections

FROM A HOPEFUL BENEFICIARY

"Thank you for giving us hope [and] I'm praying that when there's a good samaritan knock[ing] at your door, [may you] please remember my husband. Thank you so much. Good night...
(from the wife of a patient with renal failure, March 24, 2009, General Santos City).

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PLEA from an anxious grandmother:

.... I am a grandmother of these following children: JGS, 9 y.o. [... with] acute glomerulo nephritis. I am worried because the parents and we, grandparents, do not have enough income [for] her many medicines. I hope you can help her in one way or another. She is in [Benguet]. My other grandchild is JMG, 4 y.o. She has weak lungs [read as: pulmonary tuberculosis]. This child is in [...] La Union. I hope and pray that you can help these children. I am very much in anxieties. Thank you for your concern. Pray much for us. [...] I am 63 y.o. and I have [difficulties with my bowel movement]... Could you help me too? Thank you.

(Letter from Luzon, received March 2009)


May our Lenten fasts bring joy to the sick poor.

MEDICAL MISSIONS SCHEDULE 2009

SCHEDULE
MEDICAL MISSIONS 2009
April 29 - May 1: Sogod, Leyte
July 26 - 31: Alabel, Sarangani Province

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APPEAL FOR DONATIONS


Dear Friends and Benefactors,

Happy Feast of the Annunciation!

As news of our existence as a mission group spread, pleas come in from Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao, from people begging for assistance for various illnesses ranging from pulmonary tuberculosis, tumor, cancer, renal failure, pneumonia, and so many others. We also receive requests for medical missions. In the name of mercy, we try to serve as best as we can.

This year we are granting the medical-dental mission request from Sogod - a fourth class municipality in Leyte, where 37.7% live below the poverty line - and; for the second time, from Alabel - the capital town of Sarangani, which has no hospital and has only one public health physician to care for its 76,000 residents, where poverty cannot sustain a private clinic. The medical-dental missions will be on April 29-May 1 in Sogod, Leyte (2,000 patients) and on July 26-31 in Alabel, Sarangani Province (2,000 patients).

Our Association is legally under the Society of Saint Pius X, a religious, non-profit organization. We conduct medical missions in cooperation with the provincial and municipal governments: they provide the venue and transport needy patients from the most inaccessible barangays, while we provide the medical-dental-nursing manpower and find resources for mediciens, diagnostic work-ups and hospitalization of patients, as needed.

Some patients are expected to come to the mission with prescriptions from medical specialists but having used up all their funds in the diagnostics, cannot buy medicines. In such cases, we will fill out the prescriptions for free and refer back the patient to the prescribing physician for follow up. We are committed to provide complete dose of antibiotics to ensure the safety of the patients and to make full use of the referral system so that the patients will have proper care. We collaborate with existing agencies for patients needing surgery.

Based on the needs of the patients, we are looking for supplies of antibiotics, antituberculosis, anti-asthma, antihistamines, mucolytics, decongestants, antidiabetics, anti-gout, antihypertensives, analgesics, antipyretics, anti-inflammatories, anti-ulcer, antifibrinolytics, anti-convulsants, anti-psychotics, and mineral and vitamin supplements. Oral, 0pthalmic, otic, and topical preparations are needed for infants, children and adults. Parenteral preparations will be needed for mission patients who will be confined in the hospitals, or for indigent patients in the hospitals referred to us by social health workers. Wound dressing and dental supplies are also needed: syringes, dental needles, masks, cotton, and anesthesia.

Goodness begets goodness. We believe that when we touch the lives of those suffering, we raise up their spirits to higher aspirations. Whatever support you can give can bring hope and vigor to the underprivileged as they struggle to reach for more meaningful and more productive lives.

Thank you so much for visiting our blog. Hoping fervently for continued support.

Yours truly in Mary Immaculate,

Rosa Mystica Health Mission Facilitators

Sunday, March 8, 2009

MISSION OF HOPE AND CHARITY

I was sick and you visited me...


Rico, 5 years old, from Alabel, Sarangani Province, waiting for his surgery. First seen on August 15, 2008 by Dr. Elzbieta Kowalska. Diagnosis: Bronchitis, bilateral otitis media, cleft lip and palate, hernia scrotalis bilateral, malnutrition. The surgeon is simply waiting for Rico to be clear of any upper respiratory tract infection for a whole month and to gain more weight so that his surgery can be scheduled.

Jane, 7 months old, from Alabel, Sarangani Province, doing well after VP Shunting, waiting for her next corrective surgery.

She was born with bulging mass at upper bridge of nose, bulging periorbital area at the left temporal area. Her parents were told that if she would not be operated, at 4 months old her brain would already be so compressed that she would die.

First seen by the mission on August 14, 2008 by Dr. Ma. June Viray, referred to Dr. Narciso Mirabueno, referred to Davao, seen by Dr. Alfredo Abundo. Diagnosis: Hydrocephalus ex vacuo, porencephalic cyst left tempo-parietal. Surgery done: Tempo-parietal craniectomy, marsupialization of cyst, placement of ventricular peritoneal shunt, peritoneal opening and repair. Thanks be to God and to the concerted effort of concerned doctors and generous individuals from South Korea and France, she was assisted in time before neurological deficits could occur.

A happy smile from Jane. Thanks to her sponsors. Looking up with hope. Thanks to generous people, she can now lift her head and crawl about. The cysts will be removed when the bones in her head close (at age 2) and the maxillo-facial defects will be repaired at age 12.

Ian, from General Santos City, with imperforate anus / Hirchsprung's Disease. Waiting for his 3rd surgery (resection of bowels).

Romulo, 47 years old, from Palembang, Sultan Kudarat. When referred to the mission, he was bleeding internally and his hemoglobin count was only 3 g/dl (normal count: 14-17 for males).

Severo, 73 yrs old, from Zamboanga.

He came knocking at the office gates begging for food, saying he was just waiting for his death to come, that he just forced himself to get up and beg for food while he was still breathing, that he was living alone after his wife died while they were visiting Gensan. He was breathing with difficulty, was pale, weak, coughing out bloody sputum.
We brought him to the doctor who examined him, had his xrays and sputum tests taken and gave him prescriptions.
Volunteer nursing students took turns assisting his home care, ensuring that he could take his medicines regularly, bringing him food to help him recover, cleaning up his home and helping him with his hygiene.
Volunteer catechists assisted him in his catechism, encouraged him to make his First Communion, taught him the basic prayers and the Ten Commandments. When he got well, he would regularly visit the office to just say "Thank You" to the people who cared for him. He is now back in Zamboanga with his relatives.

J.R. was weak and pale when he was brought by his mother to the office. He was coughing out blood. He was brought to the doctor who took his xrays and sputum, and referred him to another doctor who had him undergo skin tests... He was given medicines and given adequate nutrition (food supply and vitamin-mineral supplements). This photo was taken when he returned to the office to say thank you. It was good to see him smiling, strong, and no longer coughing... and thanks be to God, was having a healthier color (no more bleeding).

I was hungry and you gave me to eat...

Thankful for the little bag of food, she promised to pray for the generous people who make the mission possible.

Enthusiastically, this barefoot boy hitched on a jeepney from Malapatan to Gensan where he decided to earn money as a car-wash boy to buy food. He was thankful for the food that were shared with him by people he met. He was happy to hear of the Heavenly Father to Whom he could pray for daily bread.


CHARITY NEVER FAILS.

WE SEE, WE FEEL, WE CARE, WE REACH OUT.


May our Lenten fasts and abstinence enable us to give joy to those in need.

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ROSA MYSTICA HEALTH MISSION 2008
Venue: Capitol Gym, Alabel, Sarangani Province
No. of days of service: 6 days including 1 day extension clinic
Dates of mission: August 11-15, 2008 and August 15, 2008
No. of patients served: 3,000
No. of patients taken to the hospitals / clinics for diagnostic work-ups: 182
No. of patients confined to hospitals for treatment: 6
No. of physicians who volunteered: 13
No. of physicians who received referrals for free in their clinics: 8
No. of dentists who served: 16
No. of nurse volunteers: 60 (+)
No. of dental aides / medics: 4
Total cost (payments made): P1,068,143.80

SPONSORS:

Society of Saint Pius X, ACIMPS-France, Lamoiyan Corporation (Hapee Toothpaste), General Tuna Corporation, Philippine Spring Water Resources Inc., Chill 'n Cool, Fresco Water Station, Armed Forces of the Philippines, Junior Chamber International (Davao and GSC Chapters), Philippine Dental Association, Philippine Nursing Students Association, Beta Nu Delta Nursing Society, Penamante Clinic, Socsargen County Hospital, 3M Rodge Pharmamed Sales, D'Farm Venue Rentals, Imi Rachel Martin, Legion of Mary, Apostles of Mary Catholic Youth League of the Philippines, and many more, whose names are boldly written in God's heart.

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OTHER MEDICAL-DENTAL MISSIONS SUPPORTED

DATE NO. PATIENTS/ VENUE PARTNER

Dec. 2, 2007 200 Upper Labay, GSC Notre Dame of Dad. University Nursing Students
Dec. 9, 2007 200 Upper Labay, GSC Notre Dame of Dad. University Nursing Students
Dec. 2007 200 Libi, Molo, Malapatan, Sarangani Notre Dame of Dad. University Nursing Students
Feb. 23, 2008 196 Baluan, GSC Mindanao Polytechnic College HRM Students
Feb. 26, 2008 150 Glamang, GSC Phil. Institute of Technology, Nurse-Aide Students
March 23, 2008 495 San Jose, GSC Holy Cross Parish / Hearts and Brains, Inc.
April 1, 2008 321 Alegria, Alabel, Sarangani Prov. Vice Gov. Office / Jun. Chamber Int'l GSC
Aug 30, 2008 150 Bula, GSC Sta. Maria College, Nurse-Aide Students
Oct. 18, 2008 110 RD Plaza, GSC Dr. Bernardita Hofer
Oct. 28, 2008 80 Nomo, Maasim, Sarangani Divine Mercy Foundation / DXCP
Nov. 11, 2008 416 Datu Dani, Kiamba, Sarangani Provincial Vice Governor's Office
Dec. 1, 2008 40 Olimpog, GSC Notre Dame of Dad. University Nursing Students
Dec. 9, 2008 47 Banahaw, Malungon, Sarangani Notre Dame of Dad. University Nursing Students
Dec. 10, 2008 350 Upper Labay, GSC Notre Dame of Dad. University Nursing Students