5 days to go and then we're off to Riobamba. I'm very excited to say - we have bilingual forms to use w/our patients. This way both HUVSYAL and MEDLIFE can make equal use of the information we obtain. The team of students seem like a good crew, the long trip from Boston to Ecuador will provide a lot more time to get to know each other. Jaun, UMAINE's club president and Sarah, VP are traveling w/us the first week. Nick, our founder, is busy w/exams... first year med school, ugh... I remember all too well.... BUT he'll be able to join us the second week.

I'm anxious to see how receptive the women will be to our focus on Women's health... a lot of what we will be doing may seem very foreign to them.

There have been so many generous people who have helped us put together this mission!! thank you to all of you - you know who you are.

Adios
Terry

Getting ready to go!

Today is Feb 13th, 2007. We're expecting a big Nor'Easter tonight...for those not familiar- that's a huge snow storm! I'm ready for a good snow storm! better to get it out of the way now, so that the MEDLIFE team will have clear skies to fly to Ecuador in March.

We'll be leaving Boston, MA for Quito, Ecuador on March 3 to begin a 2 week mission in the villages near Riobamba.

I met w/the students on Sunday in Maine. Looks like we have a nice group going. Dr. Alicia Hilburn will be joining us - and this will be her first medical mission!! We so thrilled to have her joining us. My sister Claire Pouliot will also be joining us for her first mission.

MEDLIFE just had two very successful fundraising events!! We are eager to follow up on the medical cases (2 young boys in need of cardiac follow up) . Also this March we begin a new chapter: Women's health. We'll be screening women's health issues and developing a data base of overall health assesment of the communities.

We finally have our LOGO and a WEBPAGE!! Check them out at
www.MEDLIFEweb.org

Well - still a lot of packing and preparation to do... will write again soon

Terry