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An interview with MEDLIFE nurse Mercedes Olave

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This week we interviewed Mercedes Olave, who has been working with MEDLIFE since May 2016 as a MEDLIFE nurse in Cusco, Peru.

Why did you choose to work for MEDLIFE?

My work has always been to reach populations with most need in my profession, healthcare. That is why I identified with MEDLIFE.

What do you have to do as a MEDLIFE nurse?

I have to coordinate the clinics with the community and community leaders. I have to motivate them to care for their health, work to prevent illness, and organize spaces to hold clinics. I also have to make sure they announce the clinics to their communities. I set up the clinics, work at stations. I also have to coordinate with the medical professionals as well, make sure they have an adequate space, all the equipment is there on time. When clinics have finished, I run the patient follow up program in Cusco.

Can you tell us more about patient followup?

The patients are in rural communities. I have to visit them in their homes. Then it depends on the diagnosis they have. I bring medicine, I see what their situation is. If they need more specialized attention, I coordinate and program care with the hospitals and accompany them to appointments.

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Do you have a particular story that has left an impression on you?

We met a 13 year old girl with a breast tumor. We visited her in her community, coordinated with the family, now we have a surgical intervention scheduled for next week.

Is there anything else you would like to say about your work?

I really identify with MEDLIFE’s work. We reach populations with the most need, where the health sector doesn’t reach. They are the most isolated populations, not populations in the capital, or in the center of the district. The populations with this need are not large, they are small, they are communities with 30, 40, 50 families. We want to reach these communities bringing medicine and medical attention. Many of these communities aren’t even accessible by motorized vehicles. For me, working with MEDLIFE is very interesting. I really like working with the volunteers as well, our foreign friends who come. In truth, they make feel like we should work even more because they do. We have a team of professionals who really care about MEDLIFE’s work, and that deliver a high quality of care, and really respect our patients.

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Hear it From MEDLIFErs

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Reya Seby
Western University

This trip motivated me more to pursue a career in the healthcare field so that I can use my resources to help those who need it the most, similar to MEDLIFE’s mission.

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Victoria DiCanio
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It was most enjoyable to finish the hard work and see how big a difference a group of individuals can make. It was such an amazing experience.

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Anita Woo
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David Saff
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This trip made everything that I was learning in my public health courses come to life and immersed me in a new culture while also learning about medicine.

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Abygail Youmans
College of Charleston

Being involved with MEDLIFE is not like joining another club - its bigger than that. It is about joining a movement that seeks to help change people’s quality of life for forever.

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Emi Hofmann
University of Central Florida

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One thing that I really loved about this trip was that MEDLIFE made sure that the volunteers got an understanding of the complexity of issues that lead to underprivileged people in communities outside of the main city

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Hannah Van Hofwegen
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Whether it was basketball with the local kids, assisting the doctors, talking with families, building washrooms, holding babies, or spending time with the people who were on the SLT with me, this was an amazing opportunity that I would do over and over again.

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Isabelle Holt
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I loved learning about the patients MEDLIFE has followed and how they offer real help to people with chronic/urgent conditions. It is amazing how the organization formed real connections with the communities.

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Valerie Lindeborg
Parent

Our family had the privilege of participating in multiple trips with Nick [founder] and his amazing staff. Their expertise made the trips unforgettable while instilling in my boys the fundamentals of good character: selflessness, compassion, and empathy.

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Harry Vildibill
University of Georgia

As an aspiring physician, MEDLIFE motivated me to further continue my goal of becoming a doctor. In fact, I enjoyed the Tanzania Service Learning Trip so much that I decided to go on another trip to Cusco, Peru.