iCare has officially wrapped up in Jamaica! Only two years young, iCare is growing by leaps and bounds. This year, iCare ran for two weeks, providing optometry assistance to those in Savanna La Mar and Adelphi, with one week in Montego Bay working at Cornwall Regional Hospital. We are happy to say- the numbers are in!
In Savanna La Mar-
* 29 overseas volunteers and 8 Jamaican volunteers
* 5 doctors and one nurse
* 1,500+ eye exams
* 2,200+ pairs of glasses
*109 referrals to Cornwall Regional Hospital for sight saving surgery
* 800 blood pressure/blood sugar tests (found 300 abnormal cases)
Our Nurse, Colleen Clancy, discovered a late-stage melanoma (skn cancer) on the back of an 8 year old boy. Immediately he was referred to the head doctor in Savanna La Mar for removal. This will likely save his life
In Adelphi-
*15 overseas volunteers and 6 Jamaican volunteers
* 3 doctors and one nurse
* 646+ eye exams
* 1,200+ pairs of glasses
* 54 referrals to Cornwall Regional Hospital for sight saving surgery
* 283 blood pressure/blood sugar tests
It is to be noted that this was the week that Tropical Storm Nicole hit Jamaica. Neither wind, floods or having most of the region shut down could keep our volunteers from doing the work they were sent down to do, doing it all with smiles on their faces.
Thank you to all of our amazing, courageous, driven, passionate iCare volunteers! If you still want to make it down to Jamaica, never fear! We are still accepting volunteers for our SuperKids literacy project! Visit our website for more information www.gsjamaica.org