CAMTA October 2017 newsletter

some of last year's Team members

MISSION 2018

INTRODUCING OUR 2018 TEAM MEMBERS!

What better way to kick off the week than to introduce you to the 99 amazing volunteers who will be forming our Mission 2018 team to Quito - our 17th trip to Ecuador. We have a great mix of "seasoned veterans" and enthusiastic "newbies" - all of them excited to contribute their skills and expertise to help provide orthopedic surgery to people who could otherwise not afford it.

Curious about who's going? Click here for the Team 2018 List.

Each team member must raise at least $3000 to cover transportation, accommodation and meal expenses. You can help a family member or friend achieve his or her fundraising goal by clicking on his or her name on the Team List, then hitting the

button. Donations of $20 or more will receive an income tax receipt.

Check out the CAMTA blog or our Facebook page for updates on Mission preparations.

We still have a few spots to fill

Our 2018 Mission Team is nearly complete, but we have a few key roles to fill. We're looking for one Medical Student for each week, a Logistics Person for Week One and a Student Nurse and some Translators for Week Two.** You can see what these positions involve here. Learn more about the Mission in general here.

If you, or someone you know, might be interested and qualified for one of the roles, we'd love to hear from you SOON! You can start the application process here.

** [Week One runs from February 16th to 26th and Week Two runs from February 23rd to March 5th, 2018]

CAMTA Cash Calendars

We've just completed our first, very successful, lottery fundraiser - CAMTA Cash Calendars. CAMTA sold calendars for $20 each, giving lucky buyers a chance to win from $25 to $500 every weekday in September. Thanks to Veronica Kong, our Executive Director and J ackie Wiebe, our Administrator, who made the daily trek to West Edmonton Mall to ask random shoppers to make our calendar draws, and to the volunteers who worked hard to sell the calendars in August.

We're planning another Calendar sale in December - they'll make great stocking stuffers, and gifts - or keep one for yourself in the hopes of helping towards holiday expenses! Winners will be drawn throughout the month of January.

Send us an emall, if you'd like to be contacted when the calendars become available.

A visit to Cuenca

CAMTA Adult Orthopedic Surgeon, Dr. Paul Leung, spent a week in Cuenca, Ecuador in July helping local surgeons with knee arthroscopy. He worked with Dr. Telmo Tapia and two other surgeons at the Vicente Corral Moscoso Hospital, the only public hospital in Cuenca. Patients at this hospital, including foreigners, are not charged for any services, including surgery. Dr. Leung saw at least four large private hospitals and many private clinics in Cuenca, but people who cannot afford private healthcare have only one option.

Dr. Leung assisted in two primary and two revision ACL, as well as two menisectomies in patients with partial ACL injuries.

Equipment and conditions the Vicente Corral Moscoso Hospital are basic. The hospital acquired their first and only arthroscope about a year ago. The hospital does not have a tourniquet, but they do have a pump. A rep brought the ACL reconstruction set with the fixation devices to the hospital for the surgeries. Dr. Tapia applied to the government to fund 16 ACLs prior to Dr. Leung's visit.

On his return, Dr. Leung commented that "the mission was worthwhile and the quality of knee arthroscopy improved in these three surgeons' hands." Another successful collaboration between Canadian and Ecuadorian medical personnel!

CAMTA needs used blood pressure cuffs to take on our Mission to Quito in February. If you have a cuff or two that you would like to donate, please contact us at info@camta.com Thank you!!

Double the impact of your gift at no additional cost. Please check with your employer to see if your gift can be matched through a company Matching Gift Program.

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