Doctors and medical personal of the non-profit, Health and Education Relief Organization (HERO) said thanks to their volunteers and supporters who continue to help the humanitarians carry out their medical missions to Guyana, to heal thousands of citizens.
Guyanese-born, Drs. Harrison and John Mitchell, co-founders of HERO, hosted their annual Christmas party at Stephen’s Church Hall in Brooklyn, recently, to share cheer, good well, festive food, drink, and music, but their thoughts were with children and adults back home who are in need of vision care, surgery, and cancer screenings, to help them live normal lives.
The medical mission has expanded its surgical program by recruiting specialists physicians, like plastic surgeons, Obstetrics, urologist, and orthopedic, according to Dr. Harrison Mitchell.
“I am proud to announce that my son, John Mitchell, has been one of the principal opticians of the vision program, the brainchild of my brother Dr. John Mitchell,” said Mitchell
“The program is more structured, and John has been instrumental in vision testing, and prescribing glasses and contact lenses for patients. This program has been overwhelming in Georgetown,” said Dr. Harrison who added that Thursday has been set-aside especially to attend to children.
During these testing, he mentioned, a young girl cried when she could not read the vision chart, and noted that it was striking that the child was attending school but no one recognized that she could not see. This is an example of why testing and intervention are important to help children.
The internist, affiliated with New York City’s St. Luke’s-Roosevelt Hospital Center, said Sophia, in Georgetown is one such, area in dire need of medical help. As such, HERO will make this area a top priority aside from the Georgetown Hospital clinic, to better serve patients.
Dr. John Mitchell, a Scranton, Pennsylvania surgeon, who is also affiliated with Washington Hospital, said the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC), where he completed a one-year stint, has many challenges. There is a lack of clinical faculty to teach staff how to take care of patients
“Young physicians at (GPHC) are dedicated, and they yearn for the opportunity to learn,” said Dr. John Mitchell whose team has performed surgeries to correct chronic deformities such as the repair of cleft palette and clubfoot. In addition, HERO has expanded its breast health program to better serve citizens who are battling the disease.
In addition to pediatric orthopedic surgeon Dr. Claude Scott, Dr. Ron Chase, who is affiliated with New York Presbyterian Hospital has performed laparoscopic surgery, while teaching surgeons there, procedure to carry on the work.
Wayne Paul-Bazil, a nursing assistant at Kings County Hospital, has made four trips, taking with him, medical supplies to the GPHC, and to rural areas of the country, where the need is great, he said.
To learn more, or to volunteer with HERO – log on to www. herog
