Comfort of Home Book Donation

 

 

Caring for someone with a chronic or debilitating illness can be deeply satisfying as well as uniquely challenging. Partners, family, and friends can be drawn more closely together when they meet these challenges. Yet, caregiving can also be physically and emotionally exhausting, especially for the person who is the primary caregiver. CareTrust Publications is pleased to partner with Operations Medical Libraries, who provides complimentary medical education recources to local and international health care organizations. Upon OML's recommendation, CareTrust Publications donated caregiver guides from The Comfort of Home caregiver series to Brentwood Presbyterian Church and Santa Barbara Vision Care Program, as well as Imagine Asia (Afghanistan and Pakistan), Daeyung Luke Hospital (Malawi) and Sister Aklesia Memorial Hospital (Ethiopia).  www.comfortofhome.com

These guide books describe how to prepare for the task of caregiving. It shows how to set up a home in a safe and comfortable way for the person whose needs are changing and abilities are declining because of an illness and takes readers through every aspect of daily care. This may be as basic as activities of daily living, such as bathing or helping someone transfer from a chair to a bed, or as daring as traveling abroad with a person whose health is declining. Because a picture is worth a thousand words, we frequently use illustrations throughout the guides.

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SEE International Receives Donated Comfort of Home Books

 

 

From left to right, Randal Avolio, Surgical Eye Expendition (SEE) International President/CEO and Luis Perez, SEE International Director of Operations, receive caregiver guides from The Comfort of Home caregiver series www.comfortofhome.com. The books were donated by Care Trust Publications for Santa Barbara Vision Care Program (SBVCP).

SEE International provides sustainable medical, surgical, and educational services through volunteer ophthalmic surgeons with the objective of restoring sight and prventing blindness to disadvantaged individuals worldwide. It has successfully performed more than 400,00- sight-restoring surgeries since its founding in 1974 by Harry S. Brown, M.D., FACS.

In addition to working globally in developing countries, SEE International also has a program in Santa Barbara. Established in the late 1980s, SBVCP responds to the need of a substantial population in Santa Barbara County who live and work in the community and cannot afford basic medical care—including vision care—for themselves and their families. SBVCP provides comprehensive eye exams, eyeglasses, medications, and eye surgery at no cost to qualified patients who reside in Santa Barbara county. The SBVCP also collaborates with the Shepard Eye Center and the Kendall-Shepard Eye Center in Santa Maria and Lompoc, respectively.

Click Here to learn more about the program or print a flyer to share

SEE International's headquarters is in Santa Barbara, California.  

For more information, www.seeintl.org

OML Website

Doing Something That Matters

Everyone who has requested, donated, shipped, or accepted a book for Operation Medical Libraries (OML) has spent time doing something that matters. Here's a Lady Antebellum video with a message you can claim as your own. Thanks for being "here" for OML.

http://www.elyrics.net/read/l/lady-antebellum-lyrics/i-was-here-lyrics.html

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OML Expands Its Effects on Eastern Afghanistan

 

CPT Bettencourt at an Afghan Clinic discussing the anesthesia machine.

Photo courtesy of Esmeralda Linan, US Army

 

Introducing OML's newest POC: Troy Bettencourt at FOB GAMBERI, a Physician Assistant, who is serving as the Medical Advisor to the 1st Brigade of the eastern providence of the Afghan National Army. The clinic is the model for the providence so it would be especially helpful if they had applicable resources. All medical references will be shared with its Afghan partners for them to use in their medical facility.

Medical books should be sent prior to June 1, 2103 at the following address:
Troy Bettencourt
C Co. 27th BSB 4BCT 1CD
FOB GAMBERI
APO AE 09310


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Special Request for Netter's Anatomy and Physiology Book

 

Afghan and US military and civilian personnel come together to talk the future of Afghanistan.

Photo courtesy of Esmeralda Linan, US Army

Esmeralda L. Linan is the medical advisor to the 201ST CORPS Afghanistan National Army (ANA) Surgeon, who is in charge of 4 Brigades in Eastern Afghanistan, which includes the provinces of Kapisa, Laghman, Nangahar, and Kunar. Educational resources with current information are needed to create a medical library. The ANA colonel has requested a copy of Netter's Anatomy and Physiology.  Please send it, as well as any other medical textbooks to before March 15 to:

 

Esmeralda Lina
C CO 27BSB 4BCT 1CD
FOB GAMBERI
APO AE 09310

 



 

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First Shipment Arrives Naghlu, Afghanistan

Sergeant Niblick at the Aid Station with 2 of the books received in the first OML shipment to Naghlu, Afghanistan.

Photo courtesy of Michael Singleton, US Army

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Good Will and Peace in Afghanistan

 

 

OML welcomes its newest POC: Michael R. Singleton, an Army physician assistant with with the Afghan National Army in Kapisa Province in Eastern Afghanistan. He is working closely with a physician and 7 physician assistants in the Afghan Army. There is a dire need for current (gently used, is fine) medical educational resources, specifically pharmacopieas, emergency medicine, family medicine, internal medicine and anatomy/ortho textbooks. CPT Singleton is associated with at least 5 other medical teams of similar size in the same dismal situation.

 

These books will improve the good will between the US and Afghanistan, as well as have a tremendous impact on the Afghan medical education and health care system.

 

The most economical shipping method is USPS Media Mail rate. All boxes require a US Customs form 2976-A. The forms and clear outside pouch are available at no charge at your local USPS branch/office.   Please limit boxes to 25 lbs each. If you would like to receive an electronic delivery confirmation, please indicate your request with a note with your email address in the shipment.

 

To ensure that the books arrive before he leaves his current assignment, please send prior to March 1, 2013.

Michael Singleton

Naghlu High Aid Station
HHC 2/7 CAV, 4BCT, 1CD
Naghlu High
APO AE 09354

In this season of miracles and hope for peace on Earth, thank you for giving the perfect "gift."



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MCMC Students Studying in Library

Recently, Myungsung Christian Medical College in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia received nine boxes of medical textbooks from OML. These educational resources are now in the library and accessible to medical students.

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Mozambican Hospital Requests Pediatric Textbooks for Residents

The Department of Pediatrics at Hospital Central de Maputo in Mozambique is in need of Pediatric medicine textbooks to support graduate medical education for its pediatric residency. Books in Portuguese or Spanish are highly preferred, but English books can also be used. Titles should be no more than 5 years old and can be general pediatric topics or regarding any pediatric subspecialty. Examples of books wanted include: Nelson's textbook of Pediatrics, Harriet Lane, Red Book, Avery's Neonatal Diseases, Sanford's Antibiotic guide, Roger's ICU textbook, etc... The US address to send the books to is:

Emily A. Hartford, M.D.
℅ Risa Hoffman, M.D.
UCLA GHEP Office
10833 Le Conte Ave 13-154 CHS,
Los Angeles, CA 90095

The UCLA Program in Global Health together with Partners for Pediatric Progress has established strong relationships with the Department of Pediatrics at the Central Hospital of Maputo and the Eduardo Mondlane University (UEM) School of Medicine, the primary teaching hospital and medical school in the country. This program began in 2007 and was focused around medical education and training initiatives; it is now growing into a collaboration that will work towards improving pediatric hospital care in Maputo while supporting the training programs that will produce the next generation of Mozambican physicians.

Mozambique achieved independence from Portuguese rule in 1975 then suffered a prolonged civil war that began shortly afterwards and ended in 1992 after a successful UN-negotiated peace agreement. In 2004, its leader for 18 years stepped down and the current president was elected. It is now a peaceful nation with impressive economic growth and many natural resources and industries including oil, natural gas, aluminum, business, and tourism. Despite this progress, it is estimated that 54% of the population still live in poverty and in the rural areas the majority of families practice subsistence agriculture to survive.

Mozambique has a total population of 23.5 million with over 10 million children aged 0-14. Despite gains over the past decade, it has some of the highest neonatal and child mortality rates in the world ranking 11th from the bottom of the list at 77 per 1000 live births (neonatal) and 138 per 1000 (under-five). The major causes of under-five mortality include malaria, diarrhea, acute respiratory infections, and vaccine-preventable diseases. Malnutrition is also very prevalent contributing to over half of childhood mortality and causing stunting of growth in 44% of children under 5 years. The HIV/AIDS prevalence is also high (11.3% among adults) and new HIV infections are common in children who do not have access to prophylaxis from vertical transmission at birth.

There is a huge shortage of physicians in the country (estimated at one per 37,000 residents), with less than 50 pediatricians, no pediatric subspecialists, and one pediatric surgeon serving the entire country. Our project seeks to equip the future generation of Mozambican pediatricians with the tools they need to continually learn and improve the care they provide for children in Mozambique.

For any questions please contact Emily Hartford, M.D.,the UCLA faculty in-country pediatrician, at ehartford@mednet.ucla.edu or 206-429-5199.

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OML Partner Has Clothing Drive for Afghanistan

Dear Friends,

Imagine Asia is collecting coats, sweaters, gloves, hats, pants, etc. for children in Bamiyan Province, Afghanistan. By early November, there is snow in the mountains, and as the weeks go on, the weather will be below freezing much of the time. Many families live in small mud homes with no source of heat, water, etc. Some live in caves. Every year babies and young children freeze to death, so we are collecting warm clothes to send immediately.

If you could spread the word to your friends and family I'd be very grateful. We need clothes for children from Newborn size up to about middle school size.

Clothes should be clean and in excellent condition with no rips, tears, missing buttons, etc. We will collect here in Exton and will send them promptly.

Many of us who have been without power since the (super Sandy) storm, have a very small taste of life without heat, water, electricity. It brings the need in Bamiyan into sharp relief. Please help us meet this urgent need. We would like to surpass the number of boxes we sent last year.

Send items to:

Steve McCurry Studios, LLC

434 Exton Commons

Exton, PA 19341

Thank you!

Bonnie

Imagine Asia

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PDR Network Donates Nurse's Drug Handbooks

PDR Network donated five copies of the 2012 edition of Nurse's Drug Handbook. These valuable resources will be sent to Ethiopia, Malawi, and Pakistan. A special shout out to Jason at PDR Network.

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OML Starts Sending Books to Pakistan

There is an urgent need for medical textbooks for five medical schools in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province, which is in Northwest Pakistan. Please send books no older than 2007. ImagineAsia http://www.imagine-asia.net has been providing textbooks for universities and medical colleges for four years in South Asia donated by medical associations, schools, and hospitals. ImagineAsia, a 501(c)3 non-profit corporation. The US address to send the books to is:


Bonnie V'Soske
434 Exton Commons
Exton, PA 19341

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2012 PDR Hand-delivered to Sister Aklesia Memorial Hospital

From left to right: Moges Alemu, Board Chairman; Dawit Moges, CEO and Valerie Walker

It was a joyful occasion when Valerie Walker presented a Physicians Desk Reference 2012 edition to Moges Alemu and Dawit Moges of Sister Aklesia Memorial Hospital (SAMH).  SAMH is a 75 bed hospital that provides basic healthcare to a community over 500,000 in Adama, a city just north of Addis Abeba (the capital city). It has performed 3,000 cleft lip operation collaboration with "The Smile Train" organization, over 40,000 HIV screening collaboration with USAID and just started a cervical cancer screening with IPRH ( International Partnership for Reproductive Health).For more information on SAMH visit: Link

Mid-Wifery Workbook Series Delivered to Africa

Katherine King-Goodrich, a Certified Nurse Midwife, on staff at Kaiser-Permanente in Walnut Creek, California, donated 5 midwifery workbook series. These much-needed educational resources were given to Daeyang Nursing College (Malawi), Partners in Hope (Malawi), Myungsung Christian Medical Center (Ethiopia), Sister Aklesia Memorial Hospital (Ethiopia), and Zimbabwe Project run by Africa Future Foundation (Zimbabwe).

Daeyang Nursing College

Partners in Hope

Myungsung Christian Medical Center 

Sister Aklesia Memorial Hospital

On behalf of those living in Ethiopia, Malawi, and Zimbabwe, "Thank you, Katherine!"

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OML Hand-Delivers Books to Daeyang Nursing College

Dr. Susie Kim, Principal of Daeyang Nursing College (DNC) in Lilongwe, Malawi, (far right) accepts 400 pounds of nursing textbooks hand-delivered by OML's founder, Valerie Walker.

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PDR Network Donates $1,175.40 in Books

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An OML shout-out of THANKS to Physicians Desk Reference Network and Jason Willet, Director of Medical Communications & Partner Relations. The company donated 12 copies of its Physicians' Desk Reference (PDR) 2012 edition. (Value of $1,175.40) PDR is a commercially published compilation of manufacturers' prescribing information on prescription drugs. It is updated annually and offers healthcare information tailored to physicians, nurses, pharmacists, physician assistants and consumers. The books will be used in formal education and clinical settings in Ethiopia and Malawi.

To learn more about Physicians Desk Reference Network, visit http://www.pdr.net/

Team to Hand Deliver Textbooks to Malawi

Los Angeles members of an American medical team visiting Daeyang Nursing College (DNC) in August, will hand deliver 250 pounds of medical and nursing textbooks. DNC is located in Lilongwe, Malawi. Its mission is to develop Christ-inspired and competent nurses who provide comprehensive, compassionate and culturally sensitive nursing care to individuals, families, groups, and communities in a global society. DNC's goal is to provide a collaborative teaching and learning environment to achieve this mission. The nursing college currently has a three-year diploma program and is trying to promote to four-year Bachelor of Science Nursing. The book-to-student ratio is one-to-eight.

A special OML shout out of thanks to Esther Kang, RN, with Healthcare Professionals Ministry, for her assistance.

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Louisiana Becomes 17th US State to Participate in OML

Under the leadership of Shawn Patrick, University of Louisiana at Monroe, College of Pharmacy becomes the 17th US state to hold an official OML book drive. The collected pharmacology resources were donated to Afghanistan, Ethiopia, and Zambia.

"Thank you!" to Patrick and his Class of 2012 classmates.
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OML Adds Zambia to Its Recipient Countries List

Through a partnership with LifeNet International (LNI), OML is able to donate medical educational resources to Lusaka, Zambia. During their recent visit to Los Angeles, African pastor, Bishop George Mbulo and his wife, Bea, received textbooks donated by the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA students.

LNI will include donated health sciences (dental, medical, and nursing) resources in its cargo container shipment, which is scheduled to leave San Pedro, California in late summer 2012. The books must have current information. Please limit each box to 25 pounds and ship via USPS Media Mail rate to:

Discovery Studios West
Attn: Randall L. Rike
962 N. La Cienega Boulevard
West Hollywood, CA 90069-4717

For more information about LifeNet International