2008 Newsletter Articles

Fall 2008 Articles:

Update from HH Partners in Chengdu, China
Reflections on International Service
Current HH Projects and Volunteer Opportunities
International Project News and Updates
2008 HH Member Conference Report
HH Presents Leadership Training at International Conference
Upcoming Fundraisers: Bowling/Pizza Party, October 18, Chicago

Spring 2008 Articles:

New Focus on Volunteer Service Opportunities
Volunteer Stories of Health for Humanity in Mongolia
Current HH Projects
International Project News and Updates
The Financial Resources Page
Upcoming Fundraising Events Supporting Health for Humanity
Plan to Attend the 2008 HH National Conference!
Interview with 2007-08 Year of Service Intern

Fall 2008: Update from HH Partners in Chengdu, China

On May 12, 2008, a major earthquake struck Sichuan province
just north of its provincial capital, Chengdu. Recovery efforts are ongoing for this devastating natural disaster.  Health for Humanity’s connection to Chendgu spans nearly ten years with its pediatric rehabilitation project. Our partners in Chengdu have become dear friends and partners in the effort to bring a better quality of life to children living with disabilities. In recent weeks, details regarding this once lesser-known city of China have been broadcast over numerous media outlets across the globe. The HH office has been in contact with our main colleagues at the Pediatric Rehabilitation Clinic and has learned they are safe.A heartfelt e-mail from Dr. Mao Meng, President of the Second Hospital of West China University, is below.

My dear friends:
Thank you very much for your concern for the recent earthquake disaster in Sichuan. And please excuse me for this late reply. On May 12th, a mega-earthquake occurred in Wenchuan, 92km to the north - west of Chengdu. The shockwaves were sent wide and far, affecting 434 counties in 10 provinces and municipalities. Buildings in Chengdu were trembling. People rushed to open areas, terrified, while our doctors steadily stuck to their posts, performing operations, calm and brave. The powerful earthquake left towns leveled in seconds. About 50,000 people were killed and 30,000 missing, and the numbers are still on the rise. 
The Government acted promptly. Troops were sent to the quake hit areas, on foot, by air, on water. Premier Wen Jiabao came to Dujiangyan City the same afternoon. People were all motivated. Cars loaded with relief goods were on the way day and night. Students and residents rushed to the blood donation stations. Volunteers thronged from Chengdu and went to earthquake stricken areas. Our hospital responded quickly and made all necessary preparations to receive patients from quake hit areas. After that, I led a team of 13, including surgeons, physicians, anesthetists and nurses to devastated areas. Our emergency team went as far as possible and reached Beichuan, a most seriously damaged county, which was flattened by the quake. On the way and in the ruined county, we worked day and night to rescue lives of the victims. On the 16th, when we were still there, President Hu Jintao came to Beichuan County to see the quake affected people, soldiers and health workers involved in rescuing. Everyone was greatly encouraged, and our work was highly praised by him.
To date, 150 patients from disaster areas have been treated in my hospital. We got millions of help from volunteers, medical teams from Beijing, Tianjin, Japan and Canada, and donations of all kinds. I am confident we will live through the hard times and win the battle against this disaster, with the effort of all the united Chinese people, and the support of friendly people all over the world. At this special moment, I deeply appreciate your sincere concerns and sympathy.
Thank you again and Best wishes,
Meng

In 1999, Health for Humanity began its collaboration with the Second University Hospital of West China University of Medical Science (WCUMS). The partnership has sought to build capacity for previously unavailable pediatric rehabilitation services. Since its initial partnership, the organizations have made remarkable progress in introducing and standardizing pediatric rehabilitation services. In 2004, the hospital opened the Children’s Neurodevelopmental Rehabilitation Center (CNRC), a major feat for a region that only five years prior had very modest services. Through medical donations and continued training, the Second Hospital has become one of the field’s premier centers in China. The project continues to flourish with the support of volunteers both domestically and internationally. Recent strategic plans aim to spread the hospital’s outreach to rural regions of the province. Since the devastating earthquake, the project’s direction will include the treatment of trauma victims, several of whom have already been referred to the program. Prior to this, emphasis was focused on the treatment of developmental disabilities. Health for Humanity will continue to support its partners during this trying time. Please check the HH website for volunteer opportunities and to make donations to support this work.

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Fall 2008: Reflections on International Service, by Kong and Gim Oh

Dr. Kong and Mrs. Gim Oh have been members of Health for Humanity and have volunteered locally and internationally since 1996. At the recent HH conference, they shared their reflections on service with HH in a moving and inspirational presentation.

In their community of Youngstown, Ohio, the Ohs founded the HH Ohio Network. They have served the Network through the Monthly Wellness Lectures and their Smoking and Alcohol Prevention Program for Children, which has now been adopted by the county government. Internationally, among many activities over the years, the Ohs have been most involved with establishing the Mongolia Blindness Prevention Project and the new Tianjin Blindness Prevention Project, and have shared the Smoking and Alcohol Prevention Program with Mongolian and Chinese schools. Often friends and colleagues ask why the Ohs spend so much time and resources volunteering, and are asked “what’s in it for them?” since they pay their own airfare and hotel while volunteering, and use their personal vacation time to offer service with HH. In a beautiful, artistic PowerPoint presentation, Dr. Oh summarized the benefits of service through reflecting on the virtues which they developed in the course of their activities:

Appreciation and Gratitude
“In doing and teaching surgery without my usual staff, I have learned to appreciate the value of my assistants in Ohio, who smooth the way by setting up and preparing the equipment, making sure that I have the right supplies and right implants for the patients. I return to the United States with an expanded sense of gratitude for all those who help my practice succeed.”

Humility, Modesty, and Wisdom
“Although our primary role is to teach through “regular” cases, I still face challenging cases when serving internationally, which teach me humility, modesty and wisdom. As an ophthalmologist in the US, I am not usually exposed to cases such as dense cataracts, end-stage glaucoma and cataract, small pupils with synechia, traumatic cataract, and patients who need glaucoma and cataract surgery combined. I am reminded that I am still learning myself and gain wisdom from my colleagues who have more experience.”

Self-Control, Self-Discipline, Prudence, and Flexibility
“Practicing surgery with fewer resources requires me to learn to make do with what they have, and be more frugal with the existing supplies and materials. For example, when serving internationally, I use one surgical gown the whole day, and only change gloves after every case. I must use up every bit of the surgical materials, rather than discarding a half-used pack. I must be more disciplined in keeping instruments clean, as they steam sterilize the instruments only once in the morning, and soak the instruments in alcohol in between cases. I also must plan ahead to make the most of the materials available and be flexible to adapt to using fewer resources.”

Patience, Perseverance, and Compassion
“The goal of our visits on behalf of Health for Humanity is to teach our international colleagues skills and techniques that they can continue to use with patients after we leave. These kind of teaching cases also teach me to be patient and cautious. Our intention is to let the surgeons do as much as they can, but to find the right balance between giving the doctor the experience but not at the expense of the welfare of the patients. I must have compassion for my colleagues who are striving to learn new skills, while also keeping in mind the comfort and ultimate success of the surgery for the patients.”

Creativity and Resourcefulness
“Teaching internationally, I sometimes find myself in situations where I need to find creative solutions. For example, one foldable silicone implant made from India turned opaque immediately after it unfolded in the anterior chamber, and there was no back-up foldable implant. I found new ways to address the problem, expanding my own resourcefulness in unexpected ways.”

Education and Knowledge
“I gain a greater appreciation for the ways our partners can use their limited education and resources to the benefit of their patients. The doctors are skillful in making diagnoses using limited equipment and diagnostic tests. The knowledge that I can share with them goes far in increasing their skill and resources, and making it possible for more patients to have successful surgeries and regain their valuable eyesight.”

Enriching Experiences
“In addition to the virtues which I develop in the teaching of surgical techniques and clinical skills to Health for Humanity’s partners, there are many virtues which come to us through the enriching experience of travelling internationally. We develop a sense of curiosity and joy with new adventures, such as riding the camels in the Eagle Valley and on the whispering sand dune. A place like Mongolia also brings out a newfound appreciation of nature, seeing the beautiful horses and camels in the Eagle Valley. Horses are highly valued in Mongolian culture, and their presence is magnificent. Of course we also found friendship, generosity and hospitality in the opportunity to learn about the Mongolian people and their culture, which is so open and inviting to visitors. We were invited to share the fermented horse milk (Airak) to drink and the special snuff box with the head of the family in the typical Mongolia ger.”

Love what is good and then do what we love
“When we are asked why we serve with Health for Humanity, it is because it is what we love to do. Being around kind people can make us happy, but discovering and practicing our own capacity for kindness will bring us joy. Any time that we respond to a situation with greater kindness, creativity, generosity or courage than usual, we feel this surge of elation. Each of these virtues already exists within us like tiny seeds. When we strengthen these virtues in our own souls, then we experience something even more powerful than happiness. It is called JOY.”

Those present during the Ohs’ presentation were deeply touched by the sentiments conveyed. So many who have served HH with distinction will readily admit that when we offer to serve, it is we who are benefiting most from the efforts we make.

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Fall 2008: Current HH Projects and Volunteer Opportunities

Albania (Tirana) Blindness Prevention Project
China (Chengdu) Pediatric Rehabilitation Project
China (Yueyang) Continuing Medical Education Project
China (Tianjin) Blindness Prevention Project
Mongolia (UlanBaatar) Blindness Prevention Project
Mongolia (UlanBaatar) Continuing Medical Education Project
United States (Ohio) Senior Wellness Lecture Series
United States (Oregon) Smoking Prevention in Elementary Schools

For current Volunteer Opportunities, visit the Get Involved page.

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Fall 2008: International Project News and Updates

Albania Blindness Prevention: HH’s Board Chairman, Mr. Kamyar Jabbari, is planning a visit with Dr. John Khadem, a retina specialist, in early October 2008 to consult with local partners on the establishment of a retina clinic in Tirana. This clinic would be staffed by Dr. Ali Tonuzi, an Albanian ophthalmologist whom HH sponsored for advanced training in India in order to develop the local Albanian capacity for retina services.

China Continuing Medical Education: Three HH volunteers, Drs. Bijan and Gity Etemad, and Dr. Roozbeh Taeed, are planning a visit to People’s Hospital 2 in Yueyang, China, in mid October 2008. They will be offering training and lectures to develop the capacity of the department of pediatrics to provide a broader range of services.

China Pediatric Rehabilitation: In April 2008, two HH volunteers, Ms. Joceyln Goodall and Ms. Deborah Ferguson, visited Chengdu to continue training of the partner clinic’s staff in physical therapy for children. Since then, the massive earthquake has broadened the scope of the need for therapy beyond children with congenital disabilities to those with traumatic injuries from the quake. A consultation on education and training needs for the project in the future is planned with the partners later this year. In addition, HH is sponsoring a physical therapist from Chengdu to attend the American Academy of Cerebral Palsy and Developmental Medicine Conference in Atlanta this fall.

Mongolia Blindness Prevention: In June 2008 Mr. Grant Peirce visited Ulaanbaatar to provide follow up facilitation and evaluation for the Values- Based Leadership Training which has been offered to health professionals there over the course of the last two years. This visit allowed for honest consultation among the partner physicians and establishment of new goals for fellowship training to be supported by HH. In addition, HH arranged for a technician from Alcon to service a machine used by retina specialists that had been donated earlier to the project. A retina specialist is planning a training visit in the fall of 2008 to continue developing the Mongolian ophthalmologists’ capacity to treat retinal diseases. In addition, a team including a cataract surgeon and an oculoplastic surgeon is scheduled to visit the capital, Ulaanbaatar, in September of this year.

Volunteer Service Opportunities Committee: This new committee of the Board has been meeting regularly since its establishment in the spring of 2008. In addition to formulating guidelines and criteria for HH projects and volunteers, the committee has been actively exploring potential new project sites in Haiti, Bangladesh, Brazil, Russia, and Zambia. The goal of the committee is to introduce 35 new volunteer opportunities for HH members by the end of the 2008-09 program year. HH supporters who have potential project ideas should send them to the HH office for consideration by VSOC.

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Fall 2008: 2008 HH Member Conference Report

An enthusiastic group of HH supporters and interested volunteers gathered May 30 – June 1, 2008, at American University in Washington, DC, for the Health for Humanity Member Conference. The conference, themed “Promoting Local Ownership in Community Health Projects,” featured presentations that focused on issues communities can address to improve public health, evaluations of models for effective community health projects, opportunities for service through Health for Humanity, and the importance of incorporating values and leadership development to improve health project outcomes.

Community Health Issues
Dr. Val Abbassi and Dr. Kambeze Etemad presented two very important issues affecting the health of communities, especially the health of children. Dr. Abbassi reviewed the magnitude of the problems of childhood obesity and diabetes and offered preventive measures. In his presentation, Dr. Etemad shared his research and recommendations in addressing the unique problems of children in wartime. Although his research often focused on the effects of war in children living in conflict zones such as Congo and Afghanistan, the implications apply to children living in the “war zones” of American cities as well.

Community-Led Health Project Models
Three of the presentations shared models of community-led health projects and offered assessments of their challenges and successes. Dr. Elham Kourosh presented her research project evaluating the sustainability of a “heart healthy living” program in North Texas. This program used the Latin American model of training community members to become promotores for heart-healthy behaviors in their neighborhoods. She concluded that, even after the official program ended, dissemination of heart health information continues to occur, and the promotores are eager to share their learning and behaviors with the community. This model of the promotores would be a good adaptation of Latin American experience to the American public health context.

Dr. Janice Cockrell presented the history and development of the Chengdu Pediatric Rehabilitation Project in Sichuan Province, China. This project has successfully shared the state of the art in pediatric rehabilitation with Chinese colleagues, and is now greatly expanding in its reach. The rapidly developing center in Chengdu has now become a major referral center in China and is also becoming a training center for other areas of the country. The grassroots development of this project and its organic growth embodies, better than any other Health for Humanity project, the principles and vision upon which Health for Humanity is founded. This state-of-the-art pediatric rehabilitation facility with eight trained therapists and assistants now serves some 70-100 patients daily, with plans for expansion, particularly in light of the recent earthquake (see article above).

The third model for community health projects was presented by Mr. Robert Phillips, a new member of the HH Board of Directors, who has served as Executive Director of St. Andrew’s Children’s Clinic in Nogales, Arizona. This cross-border clinic uses volunteer pediatricians and also relies on local community volunteers on both sides of the border to support the program. The success of the program is dependent on the volunteers, but this has also led to challenges as the growth of services requires greater administration and protocols to ensure quality health care for the children who participate.

Values in Community Health Development
The conference began and closed with two different approaches to the importance of values as an underlying foundation for effective health projects. Dr. May Khadem and Mr. Grant Peirce presented the results of their survey of organizations involved in the prevention of blindness worldwide. They found that although leadership development and incorporating ethical values were verbalized as high predictors in successful projects, the development organizations surveyed did not actually invest in leadership training and utilizing values-based frameworks. Meanwhile, this training is the cornerstone of HH’s new approach to health development as demonstrated in the Values-Based Leadership Curriculum HH has offered in Albania, Cameroon, and Mongolia, coupled with state of the art medical skills training.

Dr. Nathalie Auger presented her thesis of the emerging new paradigm in medicine and its relationship to the principles of the Bahá’í Faith. She argued that a correlation exists between the Bahá’í prescriptions for humanity, such as elimination of the extremes of poverty and wealth, equality of men and women, oneness of the human race, and harmony between science and religion, and the World Health Organization’s recommendations for a health care system that addresses the social conditions in which people live and work. This awareness of “social determinants” opens the door for physicians and public health professionals to reorient health systems towards achievement of peace, stability, social justice, equality and other elements. Dr. Auger then called on all health professionals, regardless of their religious affiliation, to raise awareness and discourse about these principles in their daily life and work, to further the “sea change” of this emerging paradigm for medicine.

Opportunities for Service
Two break-out sessions of the conference focused on ways HH members and supporters can become involved with projects as volunteers. Ms. Marie Taherzadeh, Dr. Gity Etemad, and Dr. Jennifer Chapman shared the efforts of the new Volunteer Service Opportunities Committee to set guidelines for developing new volunteer sites for international service. They also outlined the qualifications for volunteers offering medical service through HH. Ms. Kiran Patel, the HH Year of Service Intern, and Dr. Kong Oh shared their experience and recommendations for developing health promotion projects in the United States. Ms. Patel outlined the importance of health promotion to community health, and reviewed her experience offering a “healthy habits” workshop about nutrition and fitness to children in the Chicago area. Dr. Oh presented the example of the Ohio Network’s projects for Wellness Lectures and Smoking and Alcohol Prevention Workshops.

Connection and Community
The HH Conference also served as a place for new connections to be made and old connections to be rediscovered as participants shared stories, meals, and fun together throughout the weekend. Highlights included the traditional “Wacky Auction” led by Dave Czerniejewski which raised funds for HH through the auction of items such as camping gear and of course the coveted tiara and scepter won by May Khadem. The focal point of the conference was the community coming together on Saturday, May 31, to honor Dr. Michael Goldberg for his efforts on behalf of Health for Humanity over the years. The Celebration Dinner hosted by the DC Network also featured beautiful guitar music by Mr. John Albertson and an array of distinctive items in the Silent Auction. Coordinated by Dr. Val and Mrs. Gail Abbassi and Mr. Kaveh and Mrs. Lily Mehrnama, the event raised over $10,000 for HH projects and activities. HH is grateful to all those who supported the Conference with their participation in the sessions and dinner.

The HH Conference Planning Team has begun consulting about the next conference, which is tentatively scheduled for Chicago in early summer 2010. Any members or supporters who wish to be involved in planning this conference are welcome to contact the HH office for more information.

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Fall 2008: HH Presents Leadership Training at International Conference

Health for Humanity offered a course at the Eighth General Assembly of the International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness (IAPB) held in August 2008 in Buenos Aires, Argentina. HH was invited to share its learning about the vital importance of universal ethical values and leadership training in the success of health development projects with peer organizations attending the conference.

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Fall 2008: Upcoming Fundraisers: 15th Annual Chicago Bowling Party, Saturday, October 18, 2008

This year the traditional family fundraiser will be moving to a SATURDAY afternoon in OCTOBER. Join the fun as HH supporters bowl, enjoy pizza, and bid on the Silent Auction items. HH supporters from across the country are invited to donate Silent Auction items to help make the event a success (fully half of HH’s fundraising income comes from this one event). Items that are especially needed include: airline tickets, hotel and resort stays, high quality jewelry and artwork, and gift certificates to Chicago area restaurants and events. There will be national bidding opportunities for HH supporters outside of the Chicago area through the HH website in October. Please contact the HH office for more information on donating Silent Auction items or supporting the event in other ways.

For more information on supporting HH's fundraising efforts, visit the Support Us page.

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Spring 2008: New Focus on Volunteer Service Opportunities

When Health for Humanity was first established in 1992, the first document produced was The Statement of Philosophy.  The opening sentence in that document states:  “Health for Humanity is a not-for-profit charitable corporation, created to enable all interested professionals to offer their services for the promotion of health throughout the world...”  The document then goes on to outline the core values that would guide its efforts in achieving healthier communities.  Health for Humanity has always had the dual mission of sustainable capacity building as well as providing a vehicle for service for health professionals.  However, in the struggle to learn how to apply its core values to achieving sustainable health development, the focus of the organization concentrated on those activities that fostered capacity building for local partner institutions and achieving sustainable outcomes.  Providing service opportunities, unfortunately, became secondary.  As a result, over the years, the opportunities for service for the vast majority of HH members has dwindled.  This part of HH’s mission and the vision of the founders was never fully actualized.

Through consultation with advisors and within the Board, the decision has been made to recommit the organization to providing more service opportunities for health professionals.  This does not mean that HH’s overall commitment to capacity building and sustainability are compromised.  Rather the Board sees this emphasis on volunteer placement, while fulfilling the longing of many members to serve in the field, also as a vehicle for potentially more focused capacity building efforts.  As volunteers repeatedly visit the same institution for short term service in continuing medical education or clinical skills training, opportunities for capacity building and development of a specialty health area may arise organically through the initiatives of the local partner.  When those opportunities arise, HH will embrace them and help them to develop institutional capacity for sustainable services using the HH model that has evolved through learning over the past 16 years.

This shift in focus may take several forms.  One form may be through institutional partnership with a local hospital or other medical facility to assist their continuing medical education program or assist with short term skill-building in multiple specialties.  Health for Humanity has already had long-term relationships of this kind with local institutions such as Hospital Bayan in Honduras and currently with a hospital in Yueyang, China.  Another form may be through partnerships with like-minded sister health organizations that offer more opportunities for volunteers, such as Project Concern International, Health Volunteers Overseas, or Remote Area Medical (RAM), with whom we’ve worked before in Guyana. HH is now in the process of exploring these and other opportunities.

Read full article here.

To see list of current volunteer opportunities,. click here

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In January 2008, Steve Jackson and I were asked to join a trip to Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia to help conduct the next module of Health for Humanity’s Values-Based Leadership program.  My name is Grant Peirce, and my background is in Industrial/Organizational Psychology with a focus on workplace assessment.  I was recruited to learn the Values-Based Leadership content and to apply my assessment skills to the program.  Steve, a new member of the HH Board, joined to videotape the work and create a documentary DVD to promote the program.  We were joined by three previous members of the Values-Based Leadership team: Dr. May Khadem, Mr. Charles Howard, and Dr. John Grayzel.  May is the current Executive Director of HH and on the ophthalmology faculty at Northwestern University.  Charles is an organizational consultant and our lead facilitator and trainer.  John is a professor of International Development and Conflict Management at the University of Maryland and helped train participants and facilitators on self-evaluation tools that enable the doctors to define and evaluate their own success and to perpetuate the process, independent of HH.  Together we were a diverse and unusual team but one with a common purpose.
Health for Humanity has found, in its 16 years of experience in health development, that it is not enough to offer technical training by itself, as it does not necessarily get translated into improved services.  The doctors may very well improve their skills, but the improved services they offer may not become available to the general population who need it most.  Values-Based Leadership training was added to the project activities in Mongolia upon the request of the Mongolian doctors when they learned that it had been implemented successfully in the HH project in Albania.  From the feedback HH has received so far, it’s evident that this is a very valuable tool to create an ethical framework and enhance the services offered to the population. 

One purpose of the recent visit to Mongolia was to continue to fortify the success of previous Values-Based Leadership trainings conducted in March and October of 2007 and to begin establishing a permanent capacity for the doctors to put these skills into action.  Another goal was to further develop Health for Humanity’s capacity to deliver this type of training in the future within the context of clinical training.  Health for Humanity has found that it is not enough simply to bring skills you think are needed and insist others learn them.  Rather, a collaboration and partnership must exist for sustainable capacity to develop.  The request for training must arise from the local partners and be communicated to HH.  This means we must first learn from Mongolian partners about their culture and situation before we can provide any knowledge we have.  In this process, we learn as much from the Mongolians as they do from us.

There is much to learn from the Mongolian people, not the least of which is hospitality.  The Mongolians have an incredible ability to connect with others.  Wherever we went, our Mongolian friends demonstrated such love, patience and courtesy, we were made to feel like family members and our family kept growing and growing as we met new friends.

Read full article here.

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Spring 2008: Current HH Projects

Albania Blindness Prevention Project (Tirana)
China Pediatric Rehabilitation Project (Chengdu)
China International Continuing Medical Education (Yueyang)
China Blindness Prevention Project (Tianjin)
Mongolia Blindness Prevention Project (Ulaanbaatar)
Mongolia International Continuing Medical Education (Ulaanbaatar)
United States, Ohio Senior Wellness Lecture Series (Youngstown)
United States, Oregon Smoking Prevention in Elementary Schools (Portland)

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Spring 2008: International Project News and Updates

Chengdu, China Pediatric Rehabilitation Project: In October 2007, HH Executive Director May Khadem and Board member, Rick Czerniejewski met with Dr. Mao Meng and Dr. Rong Luo to view the incredible progress the Children’s Neural Development Rehabilitation Clinic has made in the last few years. They are in the process of moving to a brand new facility that will allow them to work with three times the number of children they were previously treating! They are also in the process of planning and hosting the first national conference on Pediatric Rehabilitation practices.  A team of HH volunteers will be visiting the project in April to continue training in physical therapy in pediatric populations with developmental disabilities.

YueYang, China Continuing Medical Training Project: While in China last fall, Dr. Khadem and Dr. Czerniejewski also paid a visit to our partners in Yueyang. They continue to make great strides in developing their skills and maximizing their efforts to reach as many people as possible. Housed in a brand new facility with 800 beds and all the latest equipment including CT, MRI, and state of the art medical equipment in all the specialties, they expressed a strong desire for continued training if they are going to put all this wonderful equipment and facility to the best use.  Perhaps the most exciting news is that not only have they been able to update their hospital to provide optimum care for those in need, but they have decided to create a fund for service to the poor in the region!   A team of HH volunteers is in the planning stages for a visit the project in September.

“Their genuine desire to serve the people and reach out to those in need was very heartwarming,” May Khadem on HH’s Partners in Yueyang, China.

Tianjin, China Blindness Prevention Project:  There is a new project in blindness prevention in China which is a partnership among three institutions:  Tianjin Medical University Eye Center (TMUEC), All China Federation of Returning Overseas Chinese, and Health for Humanity.  The goal of this collaboration is to reduce the prevalence of blindness from cataracts in China, especially for the remote rural areas. The collaboration has the following objectives:   

• To develop human resources to offer high quality cataract surgery for underserved areas in China beginning in 2008.
• To identify one doctor and one nurse from each site visited for more intensive training.
• To sponsor a short-term training course (1-3 months depending on the need) at TMUEC for the doctor/nurse team.
• To assist local hospitals in providing the missing basic equipments in the communities so that the trainees will have what they need to perform low technology cataract surgery when they return to their homes.
• To make a formal agreement with the local hospitals so that in exchange for the training and technical support, they will provide10-20% of their total cataract surgeries each year free of charge for patients in their communities who cannot afford to pay. 

Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia Blindness Prevention Project: There have been exciting developments with this project over the last calendar year. Our partners continue to make significant progress in building their capacity to eliminate avoidable blindness. Three visits were made by HH volunteers in March 2007, October 2007 and January 2008 to build capacity for Values-Based Leadership in the Mongolian ophthalmology community.

Tirana, Albania Blindness Prevention Project: We are exploring the exciting possibility of assisting our partners to establish a sustainable retina clinic for the region. In January 2008, HH Board Chair Kamyar Jabbari consulted with the International Eye Foundation and others to discuss models for financing and organization of the clinic, with a visit to Albania by HH volunteers planned for the spring to continue consultation with the Albanian partners. More on this to come!

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Spring 2008: The Financial Resources Page: We Need Your Help – Here’s How

The Health for Humanity Financial Resources Committee invites every HH member and supporter to take part in our fundraising efforts.  Your participation, by hosting an event, including HH in your financial planning, and encouraging others to support HH, will help the organization build a strong foundation for its next phase of development. 

Host a Fundraising Event in Your Community
The HH office can provide “how to” manuals and personal support for members to organize and host any of these activities in support of HH:

1. Community Garage Sales
2. Bowling Breakfast Parties
3. Golf Outings
4. “Introduction to HH” Social Events
5. And more…

Join the HH Legacy Society to build the Endowment
You can make supporting Health for Humanity a permanent legacy of your life by helping to build the new HH Endowment Fund through planned giving.  Include HH in your Will, or as a beneficiary of your life insurance, and your gift will help ensure health for all humanity for years to come.  As individuals notify us of this decision, they will receive (with their permission) special recognition and benefits, such as recognition in HH publications, etc. A number of individuals have previously made this commitment, and the office will be contacting them about their wishes for inclusion in the Legacy Society. Or, if you already have included HH in your Will, we would welcome knowing of your bequest. To learn more, please contact the HH office. 

Donate Online
Health for Humanity depends upon public donations to continue its work. You can help! Making a credit card donation through our secure server is fast and easy, and when we receive your donation, we will send you an acknowledgement in the mail for tax purposes. Click the button on the “Support HH” page of the website to make a donation.

Give in Honor or in Memory of Friends and Family
Whenever you give in honor or in memory of someone, HH will send your designee a card in acknowledgement of your gift.  This can be a way to honor a friend or family member who has modeled loving service or embodied some of the principles of HH in their lives.   This is also a great way to celebrate weddings and other special events – in lieu of presents, guests can make donations to HH in your honor.

Donate through the Combined Federal Campaign
If you are a federal, state, or municipal employee, you may be able to donate to HH through the Do Unto Others employee charitable giving campaign. For federal employees, HH's ID number is 1441, although other campaigns will have different numbers assigned to HH, so be sure to double check the organization name and number when submitting your donation.

HH Now Processing All Credit Card Donations through GiveDirect
In an effort to reduce administrative fees and direct more donations towards projects, the HH office has begun processing all incoming credit card donations through the secure online service provided by GiveDirect through our membership in the Independent Charities of America.  Please note that “LOC IND CH ORG” is the name that will appear on your credit card statement - not “Health for Humanity.”  With the GiveDirect credit card processing service, no fees are taken on your MasterCard or Visa donation.  HH is also now able to accept donations via American Express, although a fee of 2.85% is deducted by American Express for those donations.  In order to expedite your credit card donation if it is mailed to the HH office using the donation envelope, please be sure to include the security number (3 digit code found on the back of MC and Visa cards, 4 digit code found on the front of American Express cards) with your credit card number, as this code is required by the GiveDirect processing service. 

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Spring 2008: Upcoming Fundraising Events Supporting Health for Humanity

10th Annual Highland Park Garage Sale, Saturday, May 17, 2008: This fun community garage sale is back this spring, hosted by Tom Gindorff and Susan Peterson at their home in Highland Park, Illinois.  Clear out your garages and attics and donate items to the Garage Sale to help raise funds for HH.  Items that sell well include all furniture (chairs, couches, tables, etc), electrical appliances (TVs, microwaves, power tools), clothes for all sizes (on hangers if possible), children’s items (outgrown toys, clothes, etc).  Just about everything in good condition is welcome as a donation (no computer items please).   Deliver items to Tom and Susan’s house after May 1 or call the HH office to arrange a pick up of major items (furniture, etc).  Don’t forget you can also help by volunteering Friday to sort and price donated items, or Saturday to assist at the sale.  Call the HH office to volunteer or learn more. 

DC Network Membership Dinner, Saturday, May 30, 2008:  The DC Network will be hosting a gala dinner in conjunction with the HH National Conference at American University.  This is a great chance to connect with HH members from around the country and support the organization even if you are not able to attend the entire conference.  The event will honor a Washington, DC area person who exemplifies the principles and mission of HH in their life and work.  More information is available in the conference registration materials and online at the HH website. 

7th Annual Chicago Golf Outing, Sunday, June 29, 2008:  Come join in the fun on a summer afternoon with 9 holes at Flagg Creek Golf Course in Countryside, Illinois.  The golf tournament consists of a 4-person scramble (good for all skill levels!) and includes a long drive hole and a closest-to-the-pin Par 3. Afterwards, the golfers gather in the clubhouse for lunch. Call the HH office to register or learn more. 

15th Annual Chicago Bowling Party, Saturday, October 25, 2008:  This year the traditional family fundraiser will be moving to a SATURDAY afternoon in OCTOBER.  Join the fun as HH supporters bowl, enjoy pizza, and bid on the Silent Auction items.  HH supporters from across the country are invited to donate Silent Auction items to help make the event a success (fully half of HH’s fundraising income comes from this one event).  Items that are especially needed include: airline tickets, hotel and resort stays, high quality jewelry and artwork, and gift certificates to Chicago area restaurants and events.  There will be national bidding opportunities for HH supporters outside of the Chicago area through the HH website in October.  Please contact the HH office for more information on donating Silent Auction items or supporting the event in other ways.

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Spring 2008: Plan to Attend the 2008 HH National Conference!
The next HH Member Conference will be held at American University in Washington, DC, May 30-June 1, 2008.  The conference will be hosted by the Metro DC Network, and will be an opportunity to engage with HH’s unique vision for the transformation of the health of humanity. 

HH 2008 National Conference
Promoting Local Ownership in Community Health Projects
May 29 – June 1, 2008
AmericanUniversity Campus, Washington, DC

For More information, go to the Conference section of the HH website

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Spring 2008: Interview with Kiran Patel, 2007-08 Year of Service Intern

Tell us a little about your life before coming to HH
I grew up in sunny, warm Florida for most of my life.  I graduated from the University of Florida in May 2006 and immediately began working with Payless ShoeSource’s corporate office (in the heartland state of Kansas) as a merchandise analyst.  I quickly realized that retailing was not the path for me and began researching new career options!  I settled on public health and began looking into graduate schools and internships!  While I met some lifelong friends in Kansas, I knew it was time to explore a new place…I moved to Chicago last September.

What drew you to serve with HH?
The simplicity of the mission and vision.  It’s so incredibly humble yet powerful.  The organization had clearly made a difference in the world, but just as important, it was still growing.  I was also very impressed with the internship description—it gave me the opportunity to really learn firsthand about this new field.

What has been your role on the HH staff?
My role has been split between clerical administrative duties and health promotion projects.  On the administration end, I’ve learned an incredible amount on how a small non-profit functions on a day-to-day basis.  On the project side, I’ve studied past HH international efforts, created a youth nutrition workshop, and generated ideas for HH campus clubs.

What have you enjoyed most in your service with HH?
I love planning this nutrition workshop.  Laura and Marie have given me nearly complete control, but are always available for advice.  I have learned so much while researching this project and can’t wait to host my first event! 

What have you learned about health development from service with HH?
I have learned that health development is really only sustainable through community education and empowerment.  I see that HH prides itself in the “helping others help themselves” methodology.  I find this to be very reassuring as it was the very reason I wanted to enter healthcare.

What are your plans for the future?
Come August, I will begin my Master of Public Health at Emory University with a focus in Health Education!  I also plan to join Health for Humanity so I can stay updated on all of the amazing feats it will accomplish in the future!

Health for Humanity will be accepting applications for the 2008-09 Year of Service Internship through May 1.  If you are interested in applying, please submit your resume and a one page essay explaining why you are interested in serving with Health for Humanity.  The internship is open to anyone who has completed at least their second year of college.  The intern receives a stipend of $500 per month to assist with expenses, but housing is not provided.

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