Trip to the Balkans

John Ditty, Dr. Erick Stone and William Darlin traveled to Zenica, and Sarajevo, Bosnia and Leskovacs, Serbia in May 2002, and took approximately $12,000 worth of medicine and medical supplies for use in the community clinics there. In countries like Bosnia, there is a shortage or lack of many essential medicines, many of which also remain unavailable to the public because of prohibitive costs. Prescription antibiotics, glucose monitor strips, first aid supplies and over the counter medication were given to the clinics' doctors and health care professionals to use and distribute where most needed.

During their visit to Sarajevo, word came that a young gypsy girl had been badly burnt from a scalding accident over much of the left side of her body. There was no transportation to the clinic for her, and no one available at that time to give her the help she desperately needed. She was clearly malnourished, small for her age, scantily clothed.

The team transported her, along with her caregiver at the time, to the home of one of the staff, where Dr. Stone was able to treat her burns. He did tests for nerve damage and could assess that she suffered 2^nd degree burns, at the least. He asked that she be bathed by the women and then he removed portions of the damaged skin to allow healing and prevent infection. He then applied antibiotic ointment to the new skin remaining. Because of her poor nutrition and health, Dr. Stone knew that she would not be able to heal as well, or as fast, as a person in good health. He gave the caregiver vitamins for the girl and additional antibiotic ointment. The team returned to visit her the next day, where she was given clean clothing. The young girl would have never had this personalized help and care had the GHI team not been present to address her needs.

Present and Immediate Planned Activities:

Raise needed funding and procure product for Giving Hope International:

Office staff and volunteers utilize GHI's donor base, secure grants, conduct fundraising activities and deliver presentations to civic and service groups nationwide. Gift-in-kind donations of medicine and medical equipment and supplies from stateside hospitals, clinics, bio-medical corporations, healthcare professionals and pharmaceutical houses are being procured.
Supply medical equipment, medicine, and hygiene product to hospitals and clinics both local and worldwide: Staff and volunteers receive requests from hospitals, clinics, individuals and/or communities for aid to a specific community or group of people. Procurement of product takes place, paperwork is done and shipment of product and/or medical equipment to consignee. The cost of shipment of these items is covered by sponsoring groups or individuals, grants from foundations or when available, free government shipping.
Make known the purpose of GHI: to seek out, identify and assist individual patients showing evidence of special needs (not being met within their community or medical facility) by utilizing traditional means to contact and inform other organizations, ministries, PVOs and individuals with word of mouth, web site, newsletters, brochures, and/or electronic mail.
Provide medical assistance in the form of consultations, evaluations, surgery and follow-up exams to those 'special needs patients', in their home community by utilizing GHI's volunteer medical team and donated funds. For example, GHI is soliciting help for one teenage girl residing in an orphanage in Zenica, Bosnia. This girl is attractive, however, she never smiles in fear of showing her lost tooth, right in front! She, being one of the eldest of the orphans, is of great assistance to the staff and volunteers, performing translation, among other tasks. We know her self-esteem and confidence would be lifted immensely should she get the help she needs.
Provide transportation to and from a hospital or clinic not in the patient's area in order to provide medical care, including transportation to a facility in the United States, if needed. Staff and volunteers are seeking partnerships with airlines for reduced or free flights for patients to specific medical clinics or hospitals performing medical help. If needed we will utilize other various methods of transportation to safely and quickly transport the patient as well. In the case that the patient needs housing or nursing after their hospital stay and before returning to their home, arrangements will be made for this as well.
Identify needs of patient and utilize GHI's network of organizations to assure patients' continued well being upon receiving medical help and/or returning home. Our volunteer medical team will be available to evaluate the patient's ongoing and/or specific short-term needs, and plan for care either by local medical professionals or volunteer GHI medical professionals, until patient has sufficiently recuperated and has returned to his/her normal activities.
Encourage and facilitate prevention as the best form of medicine and identify specific needs in each community where GHI supplies medical equipment and product to. The means of preventing health problems caused by general disregard and lack of services may include provision of clothing, food and cooking items, additional hygiene, first aid, vitamins and nutritional supplements, as well as conducting Health Seminars teaching hygiene, nutrition, first aid and CPR by volunteer Health Care Professionals.

Future Activities: Continue Reaching and Giving Hope "One by One"

GHI endeavors to reach each person needing specific medical help on a unique and personal level, "One by One".