951 NW 13th St.3E Boca Raton, FL 33486 (561) 864-0298 info@bicolclinic.org

Volunteer: Varsha Sharma

Volunteer

Bicol Clinic Foundation, Inc.
Philippines, 2011

My recent trip to the Philippines on a volunteer quest will be one that I value forever. I was lucky enough to have been chosen to take part in working with some American doctors and nurses at the Bicol Clinic Foundation, which is an hour flight from Manila. Here the doctors and nurses provided free services from general medical to minor surgical, to the locals who are unable to afford basic medical care. I was so shocked and truly saddened to realise that the people who lived here did not have access to a doctor or any medicine, for such common illnesses, that we in the first world take for granted. I was able to see first hand the devastating effects on a community without a proper running health care system. Some of the illnesses, conditions and surgeries I saw, I am sure I will never see in my career as a nurse in Sydney, Australia. It was such a fast paced and highly emotional learning environment, which I am so grateful to have been involved with, especially as a student nurse.

One of the main cases that will remain close to me, was that of a little girl named Kay. She was a local girl who lived with her family close by the clinic. She would come play and sing every afternoon with her sisters and friends, which really brightened up our day, especially after those days, which were so difficult and emotionally challenging. Late one afternoon, she came to the clinic in a great deal of pain as she had fallen over and couldn't move her elbow. Her family was very worried because they had no money to take her for an x-ray, which was vital at this point. I knew there was something I had to do, because I wanted Kay to be able to sing and dance her favorite dance called "Waka waka" again! So, Rebecca (a nurse from the US) and I decided we would take Kay and her family into town the next day for a proper x-ray and check-up. I knew that if we didn't do this then there would be a big chance that Kay's arm would heal un-evenly and she would not receive the medical care that she needed. The next we set off to town and after being sent back and forth between 4 different hospitals and clinics, we finally got an x-ray, which showed a fracture just above her elbow. We then paid for her arm to be casted and bought her some medicine. She was so happy and we were pleased to have made such a big difference in this little girl's life.

Overall, I would recommend for any medical or nursing student to take the time to fundraise and volunteer at the Bicol Foundation Clinic, if given the chance. I personally will never forget by experience in the Philippines and reflect back to my time there everyday! The people you will meet in this beautifully tropical setting, will change your life forever. I know my life, was so deeply touched by everyone I met and I now appreciate the simple things in life so much more.

Varsha Sharma
University of Western Sydney
Foundation of Nursing

Want To Join Our Team?

BCF has dispatched more than 150 medical students, in addition to dozens of American and foreign physicians and nurses, to provide care to more than 75,000 patients in the Philippines, Nepal and Haiti, many of whom had never before seen a physician. Our team members also volunteer in orphanages and schools to extend health care to other aspects of life. We’d love for you to be Part of the Start!

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The application and all additional requirements MUST BE SUBMITTED BY January 21 , 2020.

Bicol Clinic Foundation, Inc.
Philippines, 2008

Traveling to the Philippines with the Bicol Clinic foundation was one of the most amazing, and rewarding, experience of my life. I had the opportunity to work both in the clinic and in the community with the public health team. Working in the schools was great because the children were excited to learn. We used interactive programs to teach them about sanitation and first aid. The best part was that our message seemed to spread; kids would take home what they had learned and teach their parents and siblings. I think one of the most important aspects of the trip was that we were not only working in the community, but living it. The volunteers had the chance to get to know the Filipino people. We interacted with locals on a daily basis; through these experiences we built relationships in the community. It helped me to better understand the conditions that people in the Bicol region, and impoverished people around the world, face. The impact that was made within the community through clinical aid and public outreach amazed me. We had the chance to reach out into the community through so many mediums: clinics in Buena Vista, Bulan, and the Sorsogon Prison, beach clean-ups, school visits, and even block parties. I was amazed by the clinic-while it looks simple, it has the greatest impact. By the end of the month the wait list to get in the clinic was 600 patients. People traveled 5 or 6 hours just to see the doctors, or arrived at the click at 5 in the morning in hopes of receiving care. The Bicol Medical Clinic provides much needed care for the community, and for some the only medical care they will receive all year. The need for care is overwhelming. As I would walk to the clinic in the morning people would show me their babies and ask for help or while working in the pharmacy people would gather around the windows hoping to get medicine if they couldn't see the doctor. Not being able to help these people was a horrible feeling, but unfortunately I'm just a college student not a doctor.

Working with the Bicol Clinic Foundation has greatly influenced my life, even upon returning to the United States. I am currently studying International Development, because after seeing the marginalized environment that many in the region live in, I realized how organizations like BCF are. I also was inspired to pursue an internship with Save the Children because of my time in the Philippines. It is so important to have humanitarian and aid agencies to help those in need, and I believe that the Bicol Clinic Foundation has made a profound impact on the community it serves. I hope to one day return to the Philippines, to work in the clinic, revisit the schools, see the children and be able to help with this wonderful cause.

Alix Bronner
Tulane University
Volunteer

Alix Bronner

2008 View Alix' s testimonial