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.