As we prepare to celebrate our own holidays here at home, we once again turn our focus to the charity NIFA has been supporting for many years: Mission to Heal (M2H). It’s a nonprofit global medical missions agency that trains local practitioners, helping to heal people in the most remote and needy areas of the world. Some of you have met M2H’s founder, Dr. Glenn Geelhoed, who is also on NIFA’s teaching staff; some of you have even participated in past M2H missions.
And, as always, scroll down for NIFA’s favorite links.
Our best wishes for a most satisfying holiday season and a bright new year.
Report from Mission to Heal
by Samuel Jangala, Mission to Heal (M2H)
We at Mission to Heal are proud of all we accomplished in 2024. This year, we launched new initiatives and strengthened partnerships in Uganda and Kenya. We also introduced a successful eye care program in Uganda, which we aim to replicate in Kenya.
Looking ahead to 2025, we are excited to build on this momentum with four two-week missions in Kenya. Among these will be a new women’s and children’s healthcare mission, designed to address critical needs in these areas. The missions are:
- Kenya I – February 7 – February 23 (open)
- Kenya II – April 11 – April 27 (open)
- Kenya III – June 13 – June 29 (open)
- Kenya IV – August 8 – August 24 (open)
As always, it is our dedicated volunteers who make our work possible. We look forward to welcoming both new and returning volunteers next year. Our commitment remains steadfast: to continue to offer programs that empower local facilities while delivering care to underserved communities.
By the way, two NIFA-trained volunteers joined us on 2024 missions:
- Kristen Alcorn, who first joined us in 2023 through a NIFA scholarship and returned in 2024 to participate in three missions, and
- Adeline Domkam, a NIFA student, who participated in the August 2024 mission through a NIFA scholarship.
Scroll down for information about volunteering on a mission.
Photo courtesy of Mission to Heal
End-of-Year Letter from Dr. Glenn Geelhoed
In his end-of-year letter, Dr. Glenn Geelhoed, the founder of Mission to Heal, reports in more detail on the organization’s accomplishments in 2024.
Among other things, he tells a success story about the first-ever urethroplasty ever to be done in the remote Ugandan Ruwenzori by a local physician, Dr. Godfrey, under supervision by M2H; its life-changing effect on the patient; and the second urethroplasty that Dr. Godfrey was able to accomplish later when a second patient presented with an identical problem with urethral stricture.
“As I have said before, we hope to be the ‘M2H Cheshire cat,’ disappearing with ‘only the smile left behind,’” writes Dr. Glenn. “I could not be smiling any more broadly, as Jason Jarvis is publishing the results this month in the Compass [the CoROM Journal] in follow-up of these two ‘signature cases’ of obstructive uropathy, treated — and cured — in remote Uganda, by an all-indigenous empowered team.”
Read Dr. Glenn’s end-of-year letter . . .
Photo courtesy of Mission to Heal
Volunteering for a Mission
Mission to Heal is always looking for volunteers — medical students, doctors, nurses, and even non-medical volunteers. Read more here . . .
Participants pay a volunteer fee that supports Mission to Heal in addition to covering the cost of food, lodging, transportation, medical supplies, and fuel for the Mobile Surgical Unit. Volunteers are responsible for buying their own flight tickets. Mission to Heal provides a fundraising toolkit to support volunteers in raising the necessary funds.
Since 2008, NIFA has continuously endeavored to provide M2H with donations toward its RNFA students and graduates for scholarships. The process for being considered is to apply through the normal Mission to Heal process.
Not in a position to volunteer but you’d like to help? Please donate at the Mission to Heal website.
In The Spotlight: Adeline Domkam
Credentials
FNP
Student Status
Current student in NIFA’s RNFA program
City & State
Stockton, CA
Current Position
I work part-time as an FNP in a procedural care unit at St. Joseph Medical Center in Stockton.
How did you get into nursing in the first place?
I grew up in Cameroon. At about 7 years old I started noticing that women during childbirth would be screaming and yelling. As a child, I wanted to do something for those women. Women shouldn’t be in that much pain giving birth. I wanted to become an OB/GYN doctor.
Read about Adeline’s path to First Assisting
Adeline participated in a Mission to Heal medical mission this year to Uganda. Read her Volunteer Reflection on the Mission to Heal website . . .
NIFA – Office Hours
Monday-Thursday, 8:00am – 5:00pm
Friday, 8:00am – 4:00pm
Practice Resources
Here are several of the most-in-demand sites for our students, prospective students and grads:
NIFA’s RNFA Job Board
MD Edge Surgery News: Specialty News and Commentaries, Videos and More
RNFA Scope of Practice by State (PDF)
ACS List of Cases that Require an Assistant at Surgery, 2023 (PDF)
Perioperative Nurse Links (state nursing boards & professional associations)
APRN Nurse Links
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this newsletter are strictly those of their respective authors and do not necessarily represent the views of NIFA. NIFA does not give any express or implied warranty as to the accuracy of statements made by our contributors and does not accept any liability for error or omission. It is the responsibility of all perioperative personnel to work within and adhere to their facility bylaws and individual scope of practice.
