Good News -------Delivered!

If you're looking for Good News, Surgical Outreach for the Americas (SOfA) has a lot to share!

Whether you are a Philanthropist, Former Patient, Colleague, Family Member or Community Well Wisher, SOfA values your interest and support...

In fact, so many good things are happening, we've created some new electronic communications to share our Good News and reach out when our medical professionals or patients need a hand.

What can our Fans expect?

First, just a quick email now and then...

We think our generous donors will love seeing how their kind donations are helping people with serious medical needs. Trip reports, photos, patient stories. Good news for a change.

Second, we will send you an occasional invitation to our fundraisers. We hope to see you at every one, since it's never the same without you! Register, stop in - it's a FUN time for a worthy cause. We love to catch up with our old friends, make new friends and raise the funds we need to continue our surgical missions in Central and South America. We are a 100% volunteer organization and we are committed to spending every donation wisely.

Third. sometimes we need a little help from our Friends (of SOfA). We may ask for underwear, socks, medical supplies, stuffed animals...when you can help - respond quickly! We so appreciate your generous support! If the timing is "off" or or request isn't a good match for you - we understand! Send a cheerful thought our way and above all, please stay on our email list - so we can continue to stay connected!

Your caring support allows us to provide medical care for under served communities in Central and South America. Our mission continues to expand because of YOU and we want to share the stories of hope and gratitude of those we help with those that make the SOfA mission possible.

We hope you will join us at SOfA's Trivia Night, Saturday, November 16, 2019.

IYour Friends at SOfA

Dr. and Mrs. Carcamo visit from El Salvador!

SOfA Welcomes Dr. and Mrs.Carcamo visiting from El Salvador !

It was with great honor that Surgical Outreach for the Americas hosted Dr. David Carcamo and his wife Morena in May of 2018 in St. Louis, MO.  Dr. Carcamo  specializes in Obstetrics and Gynecology. He is administrator of Hospital de Maternidad la Divina Providencia in Texacuangos, El Salvador.  Because of the generosity of Dr. Carcamo, and the connection afforded us by Dr. Peter Danis and his St. Louis based mission team, SOfA has been serving in El Salvador for the past three years.  We are grateful to Dr. Carcamo and his wife for accepting our invitation to visit St. Louis.  The operating rooms of both St. Mary's Hospital and Washington University School of Medicine/Barnes Jewish Hospital, provided Dr. Carcamo the opportunity to observe gynecologic procedures, including robotic GYN operations.

Dr. Joseph Hurley and his wife Ellen graciously hosted the Carcamos during their stay in St. Louis.  Along with the working aspect of the trip, we also had the opportunity to show the Carcamos our great city.  We attended a Cardinals baseball game, toured the AB Brewery, the Cathedral Basilica, Lone Elk Park, the Gateway Arch, the Art Museum, and much more.  Several group dinners and a final sendoff party at the Frisella's were highlights of the week.

We are eternally thankful to Dr. Carcamo for the opportunity to work in his hospital.  The friendships and bonds we have formed are extraordinary.  Because of our combined efforts, hopefully the world will be just a little better place, and patients will receive care that may otherwise have not been possible.

SOfA is planning to return to El Salvador in 2019 to continue our work under the direction of Dr. Carcamo.  Thank you David and Morena for sharing your time with us and for being great partners in our quest to deliver surgical care in an area of need.

Left to Right - Dr. Carcamo, Ellen Hurley, Dr. Molly McCormick, Carla Nitz
Wes Vega, Peggy Frisella, Dr. Joseph Hurley, and Morena Carcamo

At the Cards game with Dr. Hurley, Dr. Carcamo, Leslie Steele
and her husband, Morena Carcamo, and Ellen Hurley



PHOTOS FROM HOSPITAL VISITS WITH DR. CARCAMO

                    

Sendoff Party for the Carcamos!

So many stopped by to meet and greet the Carcamos.  

Pictured from L-R - Chris Mihill (KMOX), Carla Nitz,
Morena Carcamo, and Wes Vega

From L-R - David and Morena Carcamo,
Wes Vega, and Trish Tully

From L-R - Kathy Wennemann, Ron and Jenny Wedepohl,
Diane Carter, Tom and Patti Dunn

On the deck - from L-R - Ellen Hurley, Ruth Huebner, Rose Winter,
Peggy Frisella, Liz Frei, Herb Huebner, and Dr. Cynthia Wichelman (

2018 El Salvador Mission: Highlights

El Salvador Mission: Highlights

Jeanie Fry, Lecturer Gall Bladder topics

One of the many highlights of this years' mission to Hospital de Maternidad in Texacuangos, El Salvador, was the nurse's lecture provided by Jeanie Fry, one of our volunteers.  

Jeanie put together an excellent talk entitled "Preoperative and Postoperative Care of Gallbladder Surgery Patients".  Her talk was presented at a local hospital and was well attended as you can see by this photo.

Dr. Brent Matthews lectures on Hernias

Dr. Brent Matthews also delivered an inspiring lecture to local medical students and surgery residents in training.  This lecture is always a big hit, with the focus on hernias.



Education is one of SOfA's primary goals, along with providing surgical care for those in need.

Dr. Molly McCormick with families.

Nurse Pam comforts a patient

Dr. Hurley examines a child's hernia.

Thank you to everyone who helped to make El Salvador 2018 a huge success.

TEN YEARS AND GROWING!

In February Surgical Outreach for the Americas
completed its 10th year of service to the people
of the Dominican Republic. I took a moment to 
reflect not how grateful I am personally for the
opportunity that the Institute for Latin American
Concern, Creighton University, and the administration
of ILAC in Santiago, Dominican Republic have 
provided SOfA to interact and care for those in the
ILAC community in need of surgical care.

Ten years of partnership, successes, and in total
 over a decade of work in the Dominican Republic
 would not be possible without the efforts of so many
 people, both here at home in the US and in the DR.

This year's group of health care providers was fantastic.  We worked hard and also managed to have some fun by attending a baseball game played by the Águilas Cibaeñas, the local team vs the Tigres del Licey from Santo Domingo.  It was a great time and further strengthened our bond with the people in this amazing community.

These photos preserve our great time together !



MORE INFORMATION:

https://www.creighton.edu/ministry/ilac/. 

DOMINICAN REPUBLIC TRIP #10 - one week away!

We are one week away from our 10th trip to the Dominican Republic - our team of 19 will depart on Saturday, January 27th - during our one week stay we will operate Monday through Friday - our primary focus will be hernia repairs for those without access to surgical care for their hernia disease.  I say disease because here in the United States, a hernia repair is generally a benign (or somewhat, but not always of course) procedure that one recovers from rather easily.  In countries where hernias are left unattended for years, and often from birth, they become more complex, and impair the lives of those patients who live with the chronic hernia.

Please keep us in your thoughts and send positive vibes our way to ensure a successful week.  We are grateful to all of you for your support over these past ten years.  SOfA is doing great things thanks to all of you! Below is a happy patient.  He did well from his hernia surgery, and left the clinic with a new pair of briefs (to help contain the fresh incision), a new blanket (which often serves as their new mat on a dirt floor), a new pair of socks (because patients do not go back to the operating room on a stretcher - they WALK - thus a pair of clean socks), and, if you're a kid, like Jose' below, you get to choose a stuffie (all of these items donated by ALL OF YOU!).

I get choked up when I think of how so many contribute to make all of this happen.  We will update you on our progress next week......

Peggy Frisella