Our speakers today were Dr. Tim Murphy and Dr. Jon Tyrell representing the Flying Doctor’s of mercy.  The doctors work through an organization called Liga International, primarily in Sinaloa Mexico.  On the first Friday of each month several doctors, along with nurses and supplies fly down to Sinaloa and perform medical procedures in a small clinic.  Their services are in many cases the only medical attention that the village has access to.  If a person breaks a leg or arm or gets a hernia they are then unable to work or worse.

The clinic recently received a Laparoscopic Tower, enabling them to perform laparoscopic procedures.  This equipment requires, lighting, suction devices, scopes and other specialized equipment.  Most of the surgeries are smaller procedures, as the patients must be able to walk home to recover, there is no facility for overnight recovery and ongoing follow up.  However, in some cases the doctors have been able to treat very serious situations like a very large tumor on a child’s jaw and a small girl with six toes making her unable to wear shoes.

The clinic could use support towards purchase of a portable ultra sound machine, approximate cost $30,000.  Seeing the poverty and medical difficulties is heart wrenching and reminds us how fortunate we are here in the USA.  One quote/observation “We came down to fix you, but you fixed us”.