Our May Branch program will feature Katie Wolf, R.N., and Mollie Van Parys, R.N., two Sacramento nurses who will talk about their volunteer efforts with Mercy Ships in Madagascar. Mercy Ships is an international charity operating a hospital ship that provides free lifesaving surgeries for people who live in places where medical care is nearly non-existent.
In Madagascar, access to medical care is beyond the reach of many people. In addition to the high expense of medical care relative to the average Malagasy income, the prevalence of trained medical professionals remains extremely low. In 2010, Madagascar had an average of three hospital beds per 10,000 people and a total of 3,150 doctors, 5,661 nurses, 385 community health workers, 175 pharmacists and 57 dentists for a population of 22 million people.
Currently at port in Madagascar, Mercy Ships provides extensive surgeries, outpatient care, hospice services, and agricultural and healthcare education for the community.
Katie Wolf works as a Burn ICU nurse at the UC Davis Medical Center and volunteered as an ICU nurse on the ship in March-April 2015. Mollie Van Parys is a Preop/PACU nurse with Greater Sacramento Surgery Center and volunteered as a PACU nurse on the ship in November-December 2015. Mollie and Katie will be discussing not only their volunteer experience but sharing some prominent issues for the women of Madagascar.
Come join us on May 7, 2016 at 2 p.m. at the Rancho Cordova Library, 9845 Folsom Blvd., Sacramento, to learn about Mercy Ships and Madagascar from these local nurses.
To register for free, visit EventBrite by clicking the orange Register Now button
or send an email to Dawn Boyd at darnone1@att.net.