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Winter 2018 Health is on the Way.™ Donations Help Volunteer Doctors “This Is The Best Thing That Could Have Happened To Me!” Roberto’s legs are his life. He moved to Los Angeles from Brazil to play soccer professionally and then coach. When hip pain sidelined him, Roberto thought joint replacement surgery was out of reach: He had no insurance, and the surgery was too hoto courtesy of Mercy Said No Nigeria P costly to pay out-of-pocket. A friend told him about Operation Walk USA, a network of orthopedic surgeons Nothing prepared Dr. Adeshola volunteer to improve health in supported by Americares that provides free Adewunmi for the patient he met vulnerable communities around the hip and knee replacement surgeries for world. Last year, Americares provided patients without insurance or the ability to on a volunteer medical trip to medicine and supplies for 1,074 trips. pay. Roberto applied and was accepted. Igbesa, Nigeria: She had All medical volunteers are U.S.-based; Americares provided the replacement hip dangerously high blood pressure Dr. Adewunmi practices internal joint, donated by Zimmer Biomet, at no cost. of 240/200—far higher than the medicine near Atlanta, Georgia, and “Without Americares donations, I don’t know 120/80 considered normal. was part of a team organized by the how we’d do this,” says Dr. Adolph nonprofit Mercy Said No. In 2017, Lombardi, founder of Operation Walk USA, “I thought the reading could not be real, teams supported by Americares which provides dozens of replacement so I asked a nurse to recheck it,” Dr. performed 40,000 surgeries and saw surgeries every year. Doctors, nurses, Adewunmi says. His volunteer team gave 817,000 patients—all for free for anesthesiologists and other staff volunteer the patient medicine donated by people who could not otherwise access their skills. “It’s all about doing as much as Americares and, within 40 minutes, the health care because of poverty or we can for others,” says Lombardi. “It patient’s blood pressure improved. disaster. feels good.” Americares is deepening the impact Now pain-free, Roberto can coach again Dr. Adewunmi was just one of hundreds of and sustainability of these trips by also and teach his grandchildren the skills that doctors supported by Americares who providing volunteer medical teams with have brought him joy and success. “As safety equipment such as pulse soon as I woke up from surgery, the pain oximeters, training and educational was gone,” says Roberto. “I am so happy. materials and a website for information This is the best thing that could have exchange. The teams work side by happened to me.” side with local health workers—in clinics and hospitals—to integrate best practices. “Our support of these hundreds of volunteer teams makes a difference in the lives of not only patients but also health workers,” says Dr. Julie Varughese, Americares medical officer and director of medical outreach. “By providing safety supplies, training resources, medicine and medical supplies, we are increasing capacity hoto courtesy of Mission Love P for health care in communities around the world.” With medicine and supplies from Americares, Dr. Adewunmi and his team treated 1,300 patients hoto courtesy of Roberto in Nigeria last April (top), while Dr. Edmund Nichter and his team provided free care for 2,600 P patients in Yen Bai, Vietnam (above). Roberto (right) received a replacement hip from Americares and Operation Walk USA. WINTER 2018 | americares.org 1 From the President and CEO Aid Reaches Hurricane Survivors Forty days after Hurricane Maria hit Puerto Rico, Elia had empty prescription bottles and no way to refill them. Without power, pharmacies could not access patient records or insurance plans. “I can’t get medicine because there’s no data Dear Friends, system,” Elia says. Elia was living without electricity or As one year ends and another begins, water; lack of medicine was I take time to reflect on all the good that adding to her worries. She has happened in 2017. While it’s needs medicine daily to tempting to focus on the hurricanes, control her blood pressure drought and conflicts that have caused and diabetes. so much suffering, I choose to Photo by William Vazquez remember the positive changes that we Beginning immediately after have made by working together. the hurricane, Americares With care from Americares mobile medical team, Elia’s health is delivered medicine and one less worry. With your support, Americares reached medical supplies to more millions of people with health programs, than 60 health centers on medicine and medical supplies that the island and brought bring health and hope to communities medical teams to torn by poverty or disaster. communities including Moca, in western Puerto Rico, I am privileged to have met many of the where Elia lives. On an people we have helped: midwives in 85-degree November day, Liberia, who are thankful for the safe Elia was one of 60 patients pregnancy training we have provided; who received care and orphans in a home in Guatemala, medication from Americares growing up healthy because of medical team at no cost. Americares medicine and supplies; Americares emergency low-income, uninsured neighbors in Connecticut, who appreciate the quality response is active in Florida, primary care they receive from Texas, Puerto Rico and the Americares Free Clinics. U.S. Virgin Islands, as well as the Caribbean island And of course, I’ve met supporters like nation of Dominica. you, each of whom has a desire to Photo by Annie Mulligan make a difference, whether they are a family choosing to make helping others Americares delivered medicine and supplies for families in Houston, part of their legacy; employees at a 2017 Atlantic Texas, shelters. corporation who want to give back; or Hurricanes Harvey, someone making a first-time gift, Irma and Maria fulfilling a wish to help survivors after Aid includes: Hurricane Maria. Whatever your reason, I am humbled 540,000+ prescriptions and grateful that you included for people in need Americares in your giving this year. 254 shipments for health For all the good that we have centers serving survivors accomplished together—and will accomplish next year—thank you! Mobile medical teams for Sincerely, communities cut off from health services Mental health services for health workers and to increase capacity at clinics Click here to Michael J. Nyenhuis see the impact Support to keep clinic you are having doors open, including Medicine left Americares distribution center bound for the Caribbean, President and CEO in Liberia structures, fuel, Florida, Texas and Puerto Rico. equipment and repairs 2 AMERICARES Partner in Profile: URBN Save Lives Every Day It seemed impossible that three Category 4 or 5 hurricanes could hit the United States in a month, but that’s exactly what happened during the 2017 Atlantic hurricane season. Millions of people were plunged into darkness; thousands fled flooded homes. In the midst of the serial disasters, global consumer brand URBN tapped into the interest and compassion of their customers to help storm survivors by promoting Americares emergency response. In mid-September, the URBN retail brand Urban Outfitters began marketing three specially designed T-shirts, with 100 percent of the profits going to Americares hurricane relief efforts. Photo courtesy of Hill Danforth UrbanOutfitters promoted Americares emergency response capabilities with in-store messaging and information on the Priscilla and Hill Danforth support Americares. shirt itself. The shirts will be Hill Danforth likes to get things available for sale until stock done, and he’s not shy about runs out. meeting a challenge. When a storm Urban Outfitters also included sent a tree crashing into his yard Americares in its holiday season recently, Hill started up his giving guide to drive awareness of chainsaw and made quick work of it. our relief efforts. Simultaneously, Hill’s tendency toward action another URBN retail brand, Free extends to philanthropy—if people People, donated 25 percent of all are in need, he says, find a way to sales on September 17 to Record rains from Hurricane Harvey flooded Texas. help. When Hill met Americares Americares, publicizing the effort founder Bob Macauley in with messaging on the global URBN is a Philadelphia-based portfolio of global Connecticut several decades ago, brand’s website and in stores. The consumer brands comprising of Urban Outfitters, he found a kindred spirit. “Bob was event was a strong success in Anthropologie, Free People, BHLDN, Terrain and the an inspiration,” says Hill. support of hurricane survivors. Vetri Family. “Philosophically, I’m on the same page. Actions speak louder than words.” Inspired by Macauley’s passion and initiative, Hill, and his “This Is My Last Chance” wife Priscilla, immediately began supporting Americares. Leanne knows healthy eating is important but sometimes goes without fresh fruits and vegetables due to cost. Even though the Orlando resident tries to maintain a healthy The Danforths have continued their lifestyle, she struggles with high cholesterol and high blood pressure and is at risk for support with annual gifts. They stay diabetes. When Leanne heard about a new Americares diabetes prevention initiative for up-to-date on Americares relief and low-income patients, she immediately enrolled. “This is my last chance,” says Leanne. development projects around the The Americares Diabetes Prevention world and appreciate Americares with Healthy Food Program aims to efficiency, leverage of donor dollars prevent diabetes in free clinic patients and gift-in-kind partnerships with by providing free, healthy food for one pharmaceutical and medical supply year. Patients of participating corporations. Americares partner clinics in the U.S. Now living in Massachusetts, Hill will receive weekly boxes of fresh fruits and Priscilla carve out time to focus and vegetables, lean meats and fish.