By ALEX HAMMEKE &
MALLORY BRUNING
hammekea@lopers.unk.edu bruningml@lopers.unk.edu
This summer, 17 Lopers helped those in need across the world through the Volunteers Around the World group.
“We got to experience so many cultural differences on this trip that I know we will all remember for many years,” said Macy Hill, VAW member. “We got to see traditional textile and clothing making, the day-to-day life of the local population and new landscapes and terrain, all fueled by the desire to provide medical care for the Peruvian citizens.”
The group of students, primarily in pre-healthcare fields, left for Peru on May 23 and returned to the U.S. June 9. The group initially did not have their luggage the first few days, and they dealt with some sickness throughout the trip as well.
After spending the first couple of days visiting the country, the group partnered with the Volunteers Around the World chapter from Villanova University. Together, they opened a clinic in a local market in Cusco, Peru, a city of approximately 430,000 people.
“When we were in our clinics, we first took patients’ vitals, including height, weight, pulse, oxygen levels, blood glucose or hemoglobin and blood pressure,” Hill said. “After that, we led the patients to the two volunteer doctors where we took notes and wrote prescriptions as the doctor prescribed. After the patients had been examined, they got their medications from the pharmacy that we organized and kept track of and went on their way.”
The clinic was open for six days, with a goal of serving 60 patients a day. After the sixth day, the group ended their time in Peru with ziplining at Saucepampa and making the trek to Machu Picchu, one of the wonders of the world.
It’s an experience the Lopers will take with them throughout their time as students and into their future careers.
“I think that traveling abroad exposes us to different cultures and traditions which helps to broaden our minds,” said Adelynne Sich, a trip attendee. “The more open-minded we are, the more we are willing to experience different cultures and embrace new perspectives.”
“This trip was so eye-opening and helped me realize just how fortunate we are not only in the health care aspects but also all others as well.” Daylee Dey, the leader for next nears’s VAW trip said. “This trip helped me grow as a person just by visiting another place in the world and having the opportunity to help those in need.”
UNK’s VAW group will travel to Panama next summer from the end of May to the second week of June.
While the Panama trip also consists of providing healthcare, it is open to all students and training will be provided in the buildup to the trip. For more information or to sign up, contact Dey at deyd@lopers.unk.edu.
