Mobility in the Marshalls
Majuro, Marshall Islands 2023
After three long years of closed borders due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Marshall Islands finally saw the return of Canvasback Missions’ volunteer medical teams. For those who have dreamt of making a meaningful impact on this remote Pacific nation, the opportunity is here to join us on an upcoming team!
Early this year we brought Dr. Del Schutte and an amazing orthopedic team to Majuro. Dr. Shutte last visited the Marshall Islands on a medical mission in 1990, but his passion for helping those in need brought him back along with a dedicated team including Dr. Izabela Barnes, who went above and beyond to secure anesthesia supplies and equipment. Drs. Derek Johnson and Spencer Smith rounded out the team and saw as many patients as possible.
The challenges faced by the Majuro hospital are immense, with the COVID-19 pandemic taking a toll on their equipment. The c-arm and x-ray machines were unreliable, making it difficult to provide the necessary care. However, the Canvasback Missions team swiftly stepped in to bridge the gap.
In a single week, this remarkable team accomplished an astounding 138 exams, 31 clinic procedures, and nine surgeries. Moreover, they identified 24 patients in need of surgical procedures, paving the way for the next orthopedic mission.
This is where you come in. Joining Canvasback Missions on their volunteer medical teams means becoming a part of a life-changing journey. It’s an opportunity to make a tangible difference in the lives of the Marshallese people, who desperately need the expertise and care that you can provide.
So, if you’re seeking a meaningful adventure and a chance to give back to the world, consider joining Canvasback Missions. Your skills and compassion can make a difference!
Gratitude On Palau
Republic of Palau
“We have so many patients needing orthopedic surgery. The list is huge.” True to her word, LT, our amazing clinic nurse, had patients lined up to see our doctors. On the very first day in just 3 hours, we saw 18 patients. And by the end of our second day, all the slots for the first week of surgery were filled.
What stood out the most was the gratitude of our patients. “The island Ma-as (ladies) are going to bring you lunch. They want to say thank you for all that Canvasback is doing!” Our patients from this year and previous years brought local island food to provide us with a delicious lunch every single day.
Mary Sugiyama had a total knee replacement last year and came back to have surgery on her other knee.
“You can’t imagine how much pain I have been in. Every day all I can think about is my pain. I really thank God for sending the Canvasback team to Palau to take care of us. Thank you Canvasback for coming to this tiny island in the Pacific to help. We will never be able to repay the service that you have provided. To be able to get rid of the pain, we are so grateful.”
Last year, Titus came into our orthopedic clinic with a knee that couldn’t be repaired without custom components. Zimmer Biomet made it a rush order. They donated the custom parts and they air freighted them to Palau just in time for our last day of surgery. The next day, Titus did a little dance to show us how successful the surgery was (left Titus with Dr. Henderson and Dr. Higgs).
This year, he came back for his right knee. “I really appreciate what this whole team has done. I thank the Lord for giving us this service. “
Florencio Adelbai told me the day after his surgery, “I’m going to sing at the church and go fishing. The doctors are awesome – they’re great. Yesterday, the doctor prayed with me before surgery. I felt so good about that. I know that God is with them.”
Every day, patients who had surgery in previous years came back to see the doctors. Rosalita Ngeluk and Rachel Becheserrak had surgery in 2016 and 2017. Both of them had been in a wheelchair for years. Rachel said, “I was so depressed – I just sat around and did nothing. I was a prisoner in my house.”
Every day, patients who had surgery in previous years came back to see the doctors. Rosalita Ngeluk and Rachel Becheserrak had surgery in 2016 and 2017. Both of them had been in a wheelchair for years. Rachel said, “I was so depressed – I just sat around and did nothing. I was a prisoner in my house.”
Rosalita was also weak and depressed and both of her knees needed to be replaced.
But now Rosalita and Rachel are active and happy. Rachel declared, “Look at me now. I can walk. I have no pain. I can do anything. Thank you very much.”
We too want to thank all of our sponsors, donors, and volunteers for relieving the pain and suffering of so many islanders—giving them a healthy new life.
Adapted from Onboard Summer 2020
He was up walking the same day of surgery and was so happy he even danced a little!
Many Hands Helped Titus Walk Again
Republic of Palau
Emily Crow, a Physician’s Assistant, and her husband Bradley Crow, an Orthopedic Surgeon, joined us on a recent trip to Palau. Titus was one of their knee replacements cases.
Titus was one of the first patients who walked through the doors of the clinic—he needed a crutch to walk. He suffered a bowing of his left leg from advanced arthritis known as a varus deformity. His right leg had problems as well. Unfortunately, his case was so severe it required specialized implants to address his problem.
Titus had been waiting for years for new knees, so helping him was one of our top priorities. But unfortunately, we didn’t bring the specialized parts. An urgent request went out to Zimmer Biomet, the manufacturer of the implants. When they heard the need, they air freighted the implants—free of charge – and got them to Palau on the last day of surgery. That’s about $60,000 of metal knees—not counting the cost of surgery. And it was all FREE. It always is with Canvasback Missions.
We were ecstatic to tell Titus that we were going to be able to perform the surgery he had been waiting for!
He was up walking the same day of surgery and was so happy he even danced a little!
According to Emily and Dr. Brad, “So many more patients in Palau would benefit from our care. The work during our trip was hard but could not have been more rewarding. We were fortunate to work with such a great team of volunteers and such a dedicated organization. We look forward to another trip with Canvasback Missions in the future!”
A HELPING HAND
Koror, Republic of Palau and
Majuro, Marshall Islands
Two Teams sent out in 2019
Orthopedic teams can be our most equipment and supply intensive outreach, but the results we see are well worth the extra care and planning that goes into each of our teams. This year, Canvasback planned two ortho teams to Majuro in the Marshall Islands and Koror in the Republic of Palau providing over $1.6 million in care! That dollar amount translates into people being able to walk again, to dance with their families, and enjoy the fullness of life.
Over the last few years, Canvasback has been working to improve our ability to provide these kinds of procedures and we could not do it without amazing volunteers who provide incredible expertise and the partnership with generous companies like Zimmer Biomet who donated the implants, De Puy Synthes and Bioventus who donated the visco-elastic supplementation, Providence St. Mary’s Hospital, WA, Wilcox Memorial Hospital, Hawaii, and John Muir Hospital, California loaned and donated supplies, and Matson Navigation and Garden Isle Couriers donated the loading and shipping of all the equipment. We couldn’t do it without you!
