In fulfilling their commitment to give back to the town that gave them a head start, members of the Linden Fund (LF) and the Overseas Medical Assistance Team (OMAT) have booked their tickets for Guyana on July 10.
The LF and OMAT have collaborated to bring off yet another medical mission at the Linden Hospital Complex which is scheduled from July 11 to 16. This year marks the 20th anniversary for OMAT since its first mission in Linden.
The ten-member teams with funding from LF will be focusing on assessing, evaluating and administering medical care, including surgical procedures where necessary.
But unlike previous missions they will also be conducting a series of educational workshops for the public, two health fairs and a series of educational lectures for medical professionals, especially in the field of psychiatric care.
Residents of Linden and surrounding communities are urged to take full advantage of the services being offered by the mission this year.
And medical and educational professionals are encouraged to join the registry of professionals who visit and provide service to the people of Region 10 on a regular basis.
The team is led by Chairman of Surgery at the Brooklyn Hospital Center and a board member of the Linden Fund, USA, Dr. Stephen Carryl, a Lindener. Comple-menting the team this year will be OB/GYN specialist Dr. Faunda Campbell who will be providing services mainly to women with hysterectomies and other female-related issues.
Other team members are Michelle Chester, Donna Constant, Ronell Kirkley, Dian John, Conrad Forsythe, Terry Gravesande, JoAnne Carryl and Linden Fund Executive Secretary Linda Felix-Johnson.
All of them have either nursing or administrative backgrounds.
The medical professionals and support staff, in addition to their voluntary work at the LHC, plan to conduct community health lectures, following an initiative started in 2010 and well received by residents.
“These lectures are geared to educate the attendees on conditions that include diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, HIV/AIDS, domestic violence, and prostate, breast and cervical cancers,” said the LF Executive Secretary.
Meanwhile the competent Treatment Options (TO) team will join the Linden Fund OMAT team on July 14 for the annual Health Fair at the LEN Building on Republic Avenue in Mackenzie, Linden and on July 16 at the Bethel S.D.A. Church in One Mile Wismar, Linden.
The TO team will be led by Lindener Dr. Colin King, Dr. Irene Odigie, Dr. Elysia James, social worker Lorna King, Brittany King, Jordan King, Marlinda King, retired social workers Roberta Brezzell and Barbara Wilson, John Brezzell, Charlie Wilson, Danielle James and Sonia James.
This mission comes on the heels of the annual Linden Town Week celebrations.
The Fund prides itself in being an organization that provides extensive services for the people of Linden, through university and high school scholarships, the annual teachers workshop, the annual spelling bee contest, partnerships with the Linden Care Foundation on the ‘Adopt-A-Child’ programme, the ‘Back to Linden Town Week’ drive, the ‘Employ-ment for Lindeners’ programme and the ‘Medical Outreach and Support’ programme.
In addition, the LFU is collaborating with the Guyana Government, Region 10, the Mayor and Town Council, the Chamber of Commerce and the business community in developing a strategic plan for making Linden competitive in the global economy.
Moreover, the LF is recognized as the model Home Town Association (HTA) by international bodies such as the United Nations, the World Bank, and the United States Agency for International Development. It is one of a few non-profit overseas-based HTAs with an office in Guyana.
The organization draws membership from its chapter in Linden, headed by Enid Joaquin as well as USA chapters in Georgia, Maryland DC, New Jersey and New York and a sister organization in Canada.
