I am always amazed at how a group of strangers can come together and accomplish so much in 6 days! We may be strangers at the beginning of the trip but with a shared goal and such memorable experiences there is an inexplicable bond that is formed by the end of the week.

The April Paramedic / First-response training team and April Medical team were prime examples of this!

Members of the First-response team came from across Canada.   From current Paramedic students to supervisors there was a wide range of experience.

The team trained 33 participants which included a few medical professionals and members of the local Jinotepe Fire Department. On the first morning the team had the participants break off into teams for a race. Teams had to carry each person across a field using as many different ‘carry’ positions as possible. Everyone got involved and the smiles and laughter were a good indication that it was going to be a great week!

This training provides participants with a large range of practical skills but it also goes so much further. Participants walk away with a sense of empowerment, learning new skills and gaining confidence knowing they have the ability to help in an emergency situation.

A highlight for the team was a tour around town on the Jinotepe fire truck with full lights and sirens!

The April Medical team members were absolute troopers!! I’ll be honest - the majority of teams run smoothly and without incident but this team faced many obstacles. Recent political protests presented unique challenges including difficulty in getting our medications delivered to the pharmacy, challenges finding translators, and we had one doctor out sick for a day. However, this team approached each day with such a positive attitude, always smiling, no matter how many patients were still waiting to be seen!

A huge thank you to Dr. Ringnalda & Dr. Arnot for leading this team and teaching our four fantastic NOSM (Northern Ontario School of Medicine) medical students! None of this would have been possible without our incredible pharmacist Gordon Lane, who not only filled 359 prescriptions but always took the time to teach and encourage!

The word for this trip was TEAMWORK and together they saw 389 patients!

Thank you to all of our fantastic team members, and to those who supported them in various ways.  Know that you have made a true difference.