Helping Hands in Panama

To my Dear Friends & Family,

I've reached a cross-roads in my life (the first of many, I'm sure). I have worked hard, going to college to earn my Bachelor's degree, then on to Graduate School to earn a Doctorate in Physical Therapy so that I could put my passion and talents to use. I have worked full-time in hospitals, helping people who are acutely ill, and in rehab units where I am part of a team who are honored to help people with neurological injuries and illnesses get back to living their lives with dignity and independence. This is a service that comes so naturally to me - encouraging people to battle their inner demons, push themselves farther than they think they can go, and to show them that they CAN achieve their goals. It's a very rewarding moment, each time one of my patients leaves to return home with their loved ones.  As their journey continues on, returning to the comfort and familiar surroundings of their homes, my journey also continues as I welcome my next patient and we begin to write our story of growth and recovery together. It's a very rewarding job, but also has its challenges. Lately it has become clear that we have so much to be thankful for. We have so many resources available to us, which provide us an arsenal of weapons when we fight our battles. Yet, it is so easy to forget and become angry, frustrated, and discouraged. 

It is for this reason that I have decided to step outside of my normal, day-to-day life, to travel to a very different place and serve those whose battles are similar to our own, but do not have the same resources available to them.  At the end of April, I will be travelling to a remote, rural region of Panama where I, along with a group of other like-minded medical professionals, will be providing basic medical care to the indigenous people of this region. I am looking forward to returning to the root of what called me to the medical field to begin with - to help those who need it. I am asking my friends and family to support me in this cause. Whether you can help with a small donation to help fund my journey and allow me to bring valuable supplies with me, or offer your supportive thoughts and prayers, both are welcomed and needed.  Thank you in advance and I will absolutely share my experiences with all of you when I return.