My name is Nosa Edebiri; I am 17 years old and from Toronto, Canada. My interest in medicine began at a very early age - since middle school I have dreamed of becoming a medical doctor. Currently, neurosurgery is the medical specialty that interests me the most. I want to do this because I believe
medicine is the best way to make a difference in people’s lives – it is the means through which I wish to make the world a better place. This year I took one step further to realizing my dreams by competing for a place to study medicine in several UK universities. I was fortunate to receive acceptance to multiple schools and I chose to attend Peninsula School of Medicine, Plymouth University, England UK, which is ranked among the top 3% in the world. Now, I am in the process of embarking on a series of medical volunteer trips to three countries, India, Ghana, and Tanzania.
In India I will have the opportunity to provide medical support to doctors, surgeons, and healthcare professionals in populated and struggling parts of the country that are in desperate need of medical attention. It is no secret that often many Indians cannot afford healthcare. Therefore, they are in poor health and lack the awareness to help themselves. In such a densely populated country it is even harder for local doctors to help their people regardless of the peoples ability to pay. I will not only have the chance to help locals in slum communities and clinics, but I will help provide doctors with the support they need to provide this service absolutely free of charge. Camps will be placed in different communities and I will be able to take patient measurements, check vital signs and treat minor wounds under the supervision of the local doctors. I will also work in Eco Slum School Clinics, which are the main places for free 
healthcare to those who may not otherwise be able to afford typical care in the local community of Faridabad just outside of New Delhi. Hundreds of patients are treated at these schools every week and only few doctors work there. Routine things such as taking your own blood pressure, blood-sugar levels that we can easily do at a local Walmart store in Canada, UK, or the US are not readily available to these people. I will be able to assist in facilitating those also provide some support in government hospital labs where I can carry out simple pregnancy checks, urine glucose levels, blood type tests, hemoglobin tests etc. These are basic healthcare support activities that are common in our privileged society and often taken for granted.
People in Ghana face similar healthcare
circumstances to those in India, the Ghanaian healthcare system faces many
challenges most often associated with infrastructure, poor medical facilities,
and personnel particularly in rural communities. While in Ghana I will be
working with healthcare
professionals to tackle diseases and illnesses
typically associated with countries in West Africa; such as HIV/AIDS, Malaria,
Polio, and TB. I will support and work with doctors in Ghana at Manhyia
government hospital in a multitude of placements including Pharmacology,
Ophthalmology, Pediatrics, Radiology, and General Surgery. Similar to India I
will have the chance to work directly with patients and make a difference in a
country with struggling healthcare
Lastly, I will be travelling to Tanzania to medically volunteer. With low pay, poor working conditions and limited resources to training programs, Tanzania’s healthcare standards have fallen well below most developing countries. First I will be working in government hospital located in Tenguru, serving
as a volunteer in many medical placements including: HIV awareness, Diabetes clinics, and General Medical Consultation. The hospital is open 24/7 and 50 to 80 patients visit everyday so I will be able to assist doctors at a very high level. Working in rural medical clinics will also be a main part of my work there, offering support to over 3,000 Tanzanians per month. This is the main place where surgery will occur and I will be able to help remove cysts, offer stitching and assist in surgery in a large capacity.
In order for me to be able to participate in these humanitarian missions, I will need about £7,000 British pounds (about $12,000 Canadian dollars) to fund these trips. This includes program fees, flight costs, visa payments, vaccinations, a criminal background check, and essential supplies needed for the trips. I am especially asking for your support and sponsorship. By contributing any amount of donation to fund these trips you not only make it possible to provide free and/or affordable healthcare to as many people as possible, you also help advance my passion for medicine one step further. Not only will I have the opportunity to get my first insight into the medical professional care in developing countries, I will be helping a multitude of people in need. Thank you for helping to make the world a better place.
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