SpotLight
"International Surgical Mission Support" to operate at Marrakech, Morocco Hospital
- 09/04/09
INTERNATIONAL SURGICAL MISSION SUPPORT will be sending its Operation Restore Vision team to Ibn Toufail hospital in Marrakesh --October 17-24, 2009. The team has several eye surgeons who will perform many complex eye surgeries during their visit. There are many ways you can help. You most certainly can spread the word about the mission and encourage locals who are suffering from "difficult to treat cases" to seek help from the team. They can contact Dr Professor Moutaouakil Abdel Jalil (moutaouakilabdeljalil@yahoo.fr), who will be hosting our tea. This way they can be screened first and their suitability for surgery be assessed.
On the other hand, ISMS is currently embarking on two different projects that will greatly benefit the many sick and poor in Morocco.
The first and most urgent project is to ship badly needed medical equipment for one of the hospitals in Morocco. ISMS team is currently working on locating, collecting, and preparing for shipping medical equipment for the Mamounia Hospital in Marrakech. This shipment will allow the hospital to provide the best care possible for the people in Marrakech. The total cost of the equipment is more than $450k. Our team will do all the work, however we need to raise $40k for the cost to acquire certain material and the cost of shipping.
The second project is to connect some of the hospital in Morocco with the rest of the world via telemedicine and teaching. This unique project will allow some hospitals in Morocco to connect directly to expert doctors in over 100 hospitals in Europe and the USA. The Moroccan doctors will be able to seek advise and real time consultation with these doctors that will allow them to provide better care to their patients.
If you are of Moroccan origin, think of the poor in your home country and how this medical help will affect their lives. Your help may save lives.
Donations can be mailed to:
INTERNATIONAL SURGICAL MISSION SUPPORT
, 365 County Rd 39A, Suite 11
Southampton, NY 11968
Or Click on "Give Now" to make donation by credit card
MD, University of Alexandria Medical School
Director, The Hampton Center for Bariatric Surgery
Medical School: Guntur Medical College, AP, India 1992
General Surgery: The Brookdale University Hospital Medical Center, 1994-2000
Cardiothoracic Surgery: SUNY Downstate Medical Center, 2000-2002
Gerald W. Shafton Trauma Resident Award, 1999
SLS Laparoscopy Award, 2000
Resident Teacher of the year Award, 2000
Chief, Thoracic Surgery, Kingsbrook Jewish Medical Center
Bachelors Degree, SUNY Stony Brook
Masters Degree, New York Medical College
Certification through New York City Health and Hospitals Corporation
Former Chief Anesthetist and Assistant to the Director of Anesthesia Research at the Hospital For Special Surgery in Manhattan. Presently Staff Anesthetist at Southampton Hospital on Eastern Long Island.
BS Salve University, Newport, Rhode Island
MS CW Post, Greenlawn, New York
I have made 4 trips with ISMS, and each has been increasingly rewarding. I feel fortunate to be a member of this group.
New York Medical College, School of Nurse Anesthesia
Metropolitan Hospital, New York, New York
St. Vincent's School of Nursing
Fordham University - B.S. Biology
Member New York State Society of Nurse Anesthetists
Member Doctors to the World, Medical Mission Network - Volunteer
Pulmonary and Critical Care from Catholic Medical Center and Mt.Sinai Hospital, NY
Undergraduate: Boston College 1982
Medical School: Georgetown University School of Medicine, 1986
General Surgery Residency: St Vincent's Hospital and Medical Center of New York 1986-1991
Plastic Surgery Residency: New York Hospital Cornell University 1991-1993
Craniofacial Fellowship: Hospital Necker-Enfants Malades 1994
I make a very nice Salade Nicoise.
Holy Name Hospital School of Nursing
Nurse of Excellence
Stony Brook University
Chief of OBGYN at Southampton Hospital
The story of ISMS
The story of ISMS is similar to how other organizations have started. It is the story of friends joining hands for a common cause. During their surgical training two young doctors, Medhat Allam and Ravi Kothuru dreamed of reaching out to help the underprivileged in other countries. In 1996, they set out to accomplish their goal by signing up with an organization for a surgical mission to Haiti. As the travel time neared, they realized that just the two of them comprised the entire team. The need for anesthesia to accomplish the mission became obvious. Another friend, Bob Mineo, CRNA, who shared the same aspirations and goals volunteered to join the adventure. The three of them successfully performed over 40 operations in one week under rather challenging conditions. And thus began a long and successful partnership.
The seeds of compassion were planted and they have grown into the organization now known as the International Surgical Missions Support (ISMS). Over time the circle of friends grew bigger as more members joined in helping to expand the expertise of the organization. In the beginning the team traveled to various countries under the flags of other larger organizations. In addition to volunteering their time and skills, the team members completely financed the first several missions. As their skills and confidence grew, they realized that more could be accomplished if they were to form their own not-for-profit organization. Acquiring this status will allow the team to explore yet new frontiers and bring help to places that had never before been given this opportunity.
In 2002, ISMS was granted a non-for-profit status which allowed tax deductible contributions for their missions. Today ISMS has 15 board members and an expanding sponsorship base. The ISMS team includes a general surgeon, a plastic surgeon, a thoracic/general surgeon, an obstetrician-gynecologist, an ICU/Pulmonary physician, operating room nurses, nurse anesthetists, and a critical care nurse. ISMS has all the necessary equipment and capabilities to set up three fully functional mobile operating rooms, a recovery room and a pharmacy anywhere in the world within hours of arrival at the destination. ISMS team has been to many countries including Haiti, Mexico, Honduras, Brazil, Vietnam, Nepal, Nigeria, Nicaragua, Zambia, Peru and India.
ISMS covers 100% of the cost of the missions and all patients are treated for free. An important objective is that the host countries are not obligated to incur any expense on our behalf. Along with surgical equipment, the organization brings educational materials and general medical supplies, medicines, etc. At the end of each mission these supplies are left with the hosts with the hope that they will last until another team arrives. Besides bringing acute medical care ISMS provides both basic and advanced training to local doctors, nurses, and allied medical staff enabling them to provide ongoing quality care to their patients long after the team has left. The major goal of ISMS is to reach out and positively touch as many lives as possible.
JOIN THE TEAM
The ISMS members have been fortune to work with many new volunteers over the years. It has been our tradition to extend the invitation to two new volunteers to join us during each trip. The philosophy behind this is to provide an opportunity for others to live the experience of volunteerism and for us to acquire new ideas from our volunteers. We extend our gratitude to those who donated their time and expertise and we wish them the best. As you scroll down this page we hope you will enjoy meeting some of the fine professionals in our field. Learn about FUTURE TRIPS.
If you would like to join us for our future trip please email us at Medhat@ismission.org
missions and all patients are treated for free. An important objective is that the host countries are not obligated to incur any expense on our behalf. Along with surgical equipment, the organization brings educational materials and general medical supplies, medicines, etc. At the end of each mission these supplies are left with the hosts with the hope that they will last until another team arrives. Besides bringing acute medical care ISMS provides both basic and advanced training to local doctors, nurses, and allied medical staff enabling them to provide ongoing quality care to their patients long after the team has left. The major goal of ISMS is to reach out and positively touch as many lives as possible.
To post Video, images and links please use appropriate button