52 Days and Counting…

Less than 2 months until AAMMR embarks on its second annual site visit to Alpha Omega Medical Mission near Port au Prince, Haiti. A lot of exciting things are happening over the next few weeks as we gear up for our 1st fundraising event. Our goal is to raise $5000 to help provide medications for the clinic and the people it serves. $5000 would supply the clinic with medications for an entire year! It’s amazing to think that with the exorbitant amount of money spent on trivial things in the States, this amount of money would buy life saving medications for the poorest population in the Western hemisphere. It has always boggled my mind, but to be honest I am just as guilty as the next person. We are so blessed to have been born in the circumstances we were, yet many of us are mired in unhappiness and loneliness. Conversely, the Haitians despite many living on less than $1.00/day are always filled which such joy. By giving time and resources, it is amazing how that joy becomes infectious. I can proudly say that my trips to Haiti are not 100% altruistic. Being able to experience the Haitians’ joy and gratitude at the help we provide is exhilarating, and at the same time refills my “compassion battery” making my ability to do my job at home more meaningful and it staves off burnout which unfortunately has become a reality for many American physicians. I many times leave Haiti wishing we could have done more, but realize that trying to remake a nation is not a one person job. It will take time and many hands to lighten this load. So, if you are reading this, I first thank you for listening to my rambling thoughts, but also implore you to look at our website: avekanpilmen.com. Read about our history and the projects in which we are involved. Consider a donation, you can find a link to our donation page on the top of our home page. $5000 provides medicine for a clinic that serves the poorest of the poor for one year. Anything above that will assure that the clinic is there for the people it serves for just that much longer. We appreciate any help that can be provided.

Ryan R. Venis, MD FACEP
President AAMMR.

85 days and counting…

It’s that time of year again. The holidays are over, the snow is on the ground, Indiana is frozen, and my thoughts turn south. This year will be Avék Anpil Men Medical Relief’s second trip to Haiti. We will again be aiding our close friends, Vlad, Merline, and Francise at their clinic AOM. We will have 3 physicians and 3 nurses this trip. We are still trying to keep the groups as small as possible for now. We will leave on 5/2/15 and return 5/12/15. A little longer trip than last year, but I am sure no matter how long we stayed it would never be long enough.
I’m doubly excited because for the first time we will have the ability to take monetary donations and will be having fundraisers that will aid AOM directly. We hope to be able to donate monies to be used for the purchase of medication. Medication in Haiti is very expensive, but the benefits of buying the medications there outweigh this cost. For one, it is much easier than trying to accumulate meds here, organize the meds, and get them there safely and legally. Secondly, some of the medications used are European and they are what the Haitian physicians use routinely. Thus, reducing medication errors when using US drugs they may not be familiar with. Lastly, just like in the states, buying local stimulates the Haitian economy. This fits are model of empowering the Haitians to help themselves. It is an awesome time in this fledgling organization. Please check out our website avekanpilmen.com to follow our preparations.

Warmest regards,

Ryan Venis, MD
Founder AAMMR

2/6/15

52 Days and Counting...

85 Days and counting...