San Lucas Toliman: Friday – A Week of Impact, Countless Lives Touched
We are incredibly thankful for a successful week of surgeries. Today’s schedule includes 6 general cases—cysts, lipomas, and a couple umbilical hernias. By the end of the day, our volunteer team will have completed 80 surgeries, totaling 89 procedures; as well as 35 GYN consults.
A few of our team members departed early this morning. Dr. Booth is heading to Ecuador for another medical mission focused on pediatric orthopedics, while Jessica Rush and Tucker are returning home just in time for prom. Although their time with us was cut short, we are grateful for the dedication and impact they made throughout the week. Our anesthesia team could not have done it without Dr. Booth and Jessica support.
The team also spent part of the day taking inventory and packing instruments to bring back home. A special thank you to Dr. Gunderson for leading this initiative.
After completing the day’s work, the leadership team met with Dr. Tun to review the week’s outcomes. Overall, it was a success, but there are areas for improvement—particularly the need for additional equipment and the importance of bringing biomedical personnel to assist with diagnostics. The new updates made a huge difference but there is more improvement.
After our meeting, the hospital hosted a small celebration to express their appreciation for our long-standing partnership, and we are truly grateful for their thoughtfulness. This mission would not be possible without Dr. Tun and his dedicated staff. They go above and beyond and never left our side when we had requests – like taking a patient to the ward or as simple as needing medication refills.
We would also like to extend our sincere thanks to Friends of San Lucas, a Minnesota-based organization that plays a vital role behind the scenes. From coordinating transportation and translators to ensuring meals are available at the hospital, their support is invaluable. Thank you to the entire Friends of San Lucas local team for helping make this mission possible too!
