Thank you for your interest in A Promise to Peru, Inc. and our cataract surgical and medical
mission to the Sacred Valley region in Peru and other regions in need. This is a project that
is constantly evolving as we face challenges in helping improve the lives of people who live
in medically underserved areas. Case Western Reserve University Medical School and the
Cleveland Clinic in Ohio originally started serving the Sacred Valley region with a medical
mission of their own. Dr. John Shanley and a few medical students from Stony Brook
Medical School in New York joined their team in 2010. John Shanley, MD, Debra Messina,
MD and Natalie DiGioia, MD subsequently established A Promise to Peru in 2011 and it is
now a 501 (c)(3) non-profit organization. These three physicians are on the Board of
Directors along with George Coritsidis, MD, Michael Sable, MD and Catherine Roberts. The
group has completed their sixth medical mission and their fourth year of providing cataract
surgery to the severely visually impaired. Our organization has established a collaborative
effort with healthcare professionals and physicians in Peru as well as non-profit
organizations such as the Foundacion Niños del Arco Iris, Surgical Eye Expeditions,
Peruvian American Medical Society, Friends North East International, Asociación Wiñaypaq
and Blanca’s House. Together we are working to improve the lives of indigent people in
South America. Furthermore, through screening patients for advanced cataracts and
providing cataract surgery free of charge, the project continues to build and advance
towards sustainable care. Since its inception, this project has been made possible by hours
of work and dedication by students, physicians, families and friends who have found a
common goal of reaching out to those in need and also learning from them the challenges
and the joy of providing care to a medically underserved populations.
We are truly grateful and humbled by the kindness and warmth we have received from the
Peruvian communities both in Peru, Ecuador and in the U.S. and the friendships we have
formed over the years. Our hope is that you can bring your unique talents, skills, and
passion to making this project even more fruitful and that you will gain invaluable
experience through this effort.
Dates & Location of our next mission:
June 12 – 17, 2016; Urubamba, Sacred Valley, Peru
The Centro de Salud de Urubamba is the MINSA* facility where our medical team will host
pediatric, nephrology and ultrasound clinics. It will also be the location where our
optometrists and ophthalmologists will provide a full service eye clinic and where the
ophthalmologists will perform cataract surgery. All of these services will be provided free
of charge to the patients. Our team consists of physicians, nurses, allied health care
professionals and medical, optometry and allied healthcare students from across the
United States who dedicates their time and talents. Since the inception of our organization
in 2011, our portable eye clinic and operating room has examined over 3,100 patients,
distributed 5,100 pairs of prescription glasses/sunglasses and performed close to 325 site
restoring surgical procedures. The portable medical clinic has administered health care to
approximately 7,400 patients to people and performed approximately 150 portable
ultrasound examinations. *Ministerio de Salud of Peru
About the Project
What do we do?
•
A Promise to Peru, Inc. has established an annual mission to the Sacred Valley of
Peru and other regions in need in an effort to provide the people in these areas with
health care and address public health issues. The mission takes place for one week
in June with the dedication and efforts of volunteer physicians, nurse practitioners,
nurses, allied health professionals from around the USA, students from Stony Brook
School of Medicine and other medical schools, Masters In Public Health students,
SUNY Optometry students, Allied Healthcare students and undergraduate students.
The medical mission offers general medical care as well as sub specialty care such as
dermatology, infectious disease, gynecology, nephrology and diagnostic
ultrasonography.
Where are we going?
Centro de Salud de Urubamba will be our primary base. The nearest major city is Cusco,
which is about 1 – 1-½ hours away by car. It is close to where Machu Picchu, the beautiful
Incan ruins and one of the Seven Wonders of the World, is located
http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/274. The image below is of the town of Urubamba, the
Sacred Valley village.
Who is running the project?
The Board of Directors of A Promise to Peru, Inc. runs the mission in conjunction with the
assistance of the graduate students from various disciplines (medical, physician assistant,
nursing, optometry, etc.) and our mission participants. FNE International, a Boston-based
non-profit is also supporting the project by providing services regarding travel logistics,
community development, project sustainability, and institutional collaboration
(http://fneinternational.org).
We rely on the assistance of the volunteering physicians and allied health professionals to
actively participate in the preparation required for the trip, inclusive but not limited to
preparing lectures for the medical students on a topic relating to the conditions commonly
seen in Peru. The students are provided with a series of didactic lectures with topics
ranging from Diagnosis and Treatment of Cataracts, Common Eye Diseases, The Work Up of
Abdominal Complaints, Basic Principles of Ultrasonography and hands on experience to
name a few of the topics. We receive our funding primarily through A Promise to Peru’s
multiple fundraising efforts and the generosity of local businesses and medical practices.
These funds are used primarily for purchasing medications, supplies and equipment for the
cataract surgical and medical mission, which are then transported directly by the
participants of the mission to Peru. We have had several of our participants host fund
raising events in places such as Chicago and Connecticut to assist A Promise to Peru, Inc. in
raising awareness of our organization as well as funds. If any of you are interested in
hosting a fundraiser please contact one of the members of the board!
Why Peru?
Peru is a beautiful country with rich cultures and warm-hearted people, and we have been
fortunate to work with wonderful community leaders throughout the project. We chose
the location because one of the medical students who started the project got in touch with a
Colorado-based, family run NGO called Peruvian Hearts (www.peruvianhearts.org).
Peruvian Hearts offers support for orphanages and schools, providing nutritional and
educational support to people in the Sacred Valley region. They expressed the need for
healthcare for the medically underserved, and so a project was initiated to work with them.
Peruvian Hearts has introduced us to the mayor of Lamay, and community leaders in the
area, such as Edwin Gonzales, owner of one of the hotels where we stay, and also a
generous philanthropist. We have also receive great help from Dr. Victor Rozas from the
Peruvian American Medical Society in obtaining our letter of invitation from the Peruvian
Minister of Health and the temporary medical licenses to practice in Peru. Helena Van
Engelen and her team at Foundacion Niños Del Arco Iris (kuychi.org) have been
instrumental in providing logistical support with the cataract surgery mission and medical
mission. Her foundation provides education, medical care and daily meals to many uncared
for children in the Sacred Valley. Dr Frilo Silva and the Caprece Eye Clinic in Cusco offers
support as our host ophthalmologist. Dr Silva and his team provides the long term
postoperative cataract eye care that is crucial to our mission’s success. Dr Francisco
Morales a local internist aids our team in locating the patient communities that are in need
of health care and cataract surgery. Our physicians participate in an International Health
Symposium for local health care providers that Dr Morales and his organization, Asociación
Wiñaypaq coordinates while we are in Peru. SIMPOSIO INTERNACIONAL DE SALUD EN EL
VALLE SAGRADO
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.266859543498322.1073741856.10000522
8343422&type=1
Patient Care
What kind of patient population do we serve?
The majority of patients who come to us are farmers with limited access to medical care.
We see a lot of chronic diseases, such as musculoskeletal pain, as well as women’s health
issues, malnutrition, gastrointestinal complaints, skin problems and vision problems.
Upper respiratory infections are also common during the season we travel to Peru (it is
winter in the Southern hemisphere). Unfortunately, we also face many psychosocial issues,
such as depression, alcoholism and domestic violence. We manage these issues in
collaboration with the local health care workers, who understand the local culture and can
provide long-term follow up. We also rely on local doctors and nurses for acutely ill
patients who require hospitalization.
What languages do patients speak?
Most of the younger patients in the clinics speak Spanish, but many of the older patients
from the mountain villages speak a local language called Quechua. Foundacion Ninos del
Arco Iris provides personnel to translate between Quechua and Spanish. Spanish fluency is
very welcomed from our participants.
What medical resources are available?
We work in a very resource limited setting. For the most part, all we have is what we bring
with us in our own suitcases.
The medical diagnostic tools you have for the most part are what are in your white coat
pocket – stethoscopes, ophthalmoscopes, otoscopes, and good history and physical exam
skills. We bring blood pressure cuffs, thermometers, glucometers, and medications with us
for the medical clinic and we transport an entire operating room and eye clinic to treat
common eye diseases and perform cataract surgery.
Imaging: We don’t have access to imaging facilities. Through the generosity of SonoSite, we
are able to transport two portable ultrasound units with us. This has enabled our
physicians to better diagnose the etiology of patients’ abdominal complaints as well as for
gynecological and obstetrical patients.
What do we do if the patients are really sick?
Depending on the site we are at, we are about 1 -3 hours from the major hospitals. If a
patient needs emergent medical attention, such as surgery, IV rehydration, etc, then we
would work with the local physicians to get them to the nearest hospital.
What if I get sick?
The diseases you are most likely to get are common colds and traveler’s diarrhea. Also,
since we are in a high altitude, there may be a need to take acetazolamide (Diamox) for the
first few days. Please make sure you have international health insurance coverage.
What would my role be in patient care?
This is flexible, depending on who else is there (or isn’t there) and what the staffing needs
are. We’d like everyone to use all your talents and make the patient care as efficient, safe,
and comprehensive as possible. To give you an idea, these are some examples of tasks you
would do:
Pre-clinical med students (1st year students): Assist with vitals, intake, taking history and
performing physical exam with either senior med. student or a physician. Help with other
areas such as the pharmacy or ultrasound. Present cases with the help of an attending or a
senior medical student. The student will be involved with the preoperative and
postoperative medical assessment of the patient, they will be able to observe cataract
surgical procedures and be involved in the pre operative ocular evaluation and post
operative care and management of the patient.
Senior medical students: They are precepted by a physician. They will supervise junior
medical students. Organize case presentations. They will also will be involved with the
preoperative and postoperative medical assessment of the patient, they will be able to
observe cataract surgical procedures and be involved in the pre operative ocular evaluation
and post operative care and management of the patient.
Physician advisors: See patients in various settings, precept students in clinic, help
coordinate didactics prior to departure, provide verbal/written feedback to students.
Nurses: Help with triage of patients, develop patient education material and programs, and
help with patient record keeping.
Non-medical support staff: Assist with translating, record keeping, educational material,
taking visual acuity, coordinating patient registration.
Please ask specific questions with regards to what your level of training and experiences
are, and we can answer case by case what you can do.
Eligibility
Who is this mission open to?
The trip is open to all medical, optometry, allied healthcare professional students,
undergraduate students, physicians, and allied healthcare professionals. Examples of
people who we are recruiting include but are not limited to:
•
Eye specialists (optometrists, ophthalmologists, ophthalmic technicians)
•
Anesthesiologists
•
Family Physicians, Internists
•
Pediatricians
•
Emergency Medicine Physicians
•
Women's health specialists (Ob/Gyn physicians, midwives)
•
Ultrasound Technicians
•
Surgical Technicians trained for eye surgery
•
Physical therapists
•
Dermatologists
•
Pharmacists
•
Nurse practitioners/registered nurses/Operating room nurses
•
Spanish translators (English-Spanish, Quechua translators)
What are the requirements for going this year?
•
Attend the scheduled meetings
•
Join at least one of the committees / projects in preparation for the trip.
•
Work on improving Spanish skills as much as you can
•
Be nice to the coordinators and submit documents / deposits / travel itineraries on
time…please!
•
Act responsibly and professionally throughout the preparation, time in Peru, and
afterwards
Do I need to be fluent in Spanish?
The patients speak Spanish or a local language called Quechua. Although you do not have to
be fluent, all students are required to have basic Spanish skills. There is no Spanish
language requirement for physicians and other health care professionals. However, we
strongly encourage you to study as much Spanish as you can prior to the trip to be able to
provide the best care to patients.
Getting Involved
How do I apply to go on the next trip?
•
Visit our website http://apromisetoperu.com/get-involved/
•
Deadline for application submission is December 1, 2015
Travel Logistics
How much would it cost?
You are responsible for the cost of your travel, lodging and food. The estimated cost of the
trip for one week is $1,500 -$2,000 depending if you share a room with others, which of the
two hotels you choose & if you opt to travel after the mission. A Promise to Peru, Inc. is not
directly involved with the travel arrangements, Elena Meehan of CD Travel Planners, 37
Polly Drive, Huntington, NY 11743, 631-673-7930, cdtravel@optonline.net is the agency
we are using. They coordinate Northport’s Students for 60,000 group trips to Nicaragua
and come highly recommended. They will book your flights and hotels for the mission.
Verena from Las Casitas del Arco Iris lascasitasdelarcoiris@gmail.com is available to assist
you with your travel within Peru. Both of these agencies and Edwin Gonzalez, owner of La
Quinta Hotel know that all of you are donating your time and talents to care for the
Peruvian people and are really working to minimize your out of pocket expenses.
Air Travel:
Elena has reserved tickets in Option A at $1,113.67 and Option B at $1,163.67
(includes taxes, but are subject to change until ticketed). Some may be slightly higher.
This includes RT non-stop flight on LAN Airlines from JFK to Lima and then to Cuzco. (see
details below). All participants(even if you are living in a different state) will meet at JFK on
June 10, Friday @ 6:30pm (the luggage needs to pass inspection from U.S. Customs office)
for the 11:45 pm departure and have a choice of returning either June 18th, arriving to JFK
early in the am of the 19th or returning June 25th, arriving the 26th.
Several points:
1. It is important to travel as a group when entering Peru and their Custom’s office. If there
are any fees incurred, our organization will pay for them. We have had instances where
participants traveling alone were not able to bring in the mission supplies and the customs
office kept the suitcase. The other important reason for traveling together is we do not
want people taking 4 flights just to get to Lima, this markedly increases the chance that the
mission luggage may get lost. It is important to understand that each piece of luggage
transported by our team is extremely important for the success of our surgeries, for
example if a suitcase carrying the surgical instrument trays is lost in transit or prevented to
enter by the customs office, we have no mission.
2. We have secured these prices in October ’15 and they are the lowest we have seen them
in all of the years we have been coming to Peru, so please know that we are trying our best
to keep your out of pocket expenses to a minimum.
3. There will be two days to choose from for the return flight:
Option A: If you choose June 18th, this is the least amount of days you can stay with the
mission and you will miss 5 days of work, since we leave after work hours on the 10th.
There is the opportunity to visit Machu Picchu if you take the train on Friday 17th from
Urubamba, after 4pm. That is when the OR and clinics will be finished packing. NO ONE
will be permitted to leave earlier than that time. Arrangements can be made through
Verena from Las Casitas del Arco Iris lascasitasdelarcoiris@gmail.com for train travel,
ticket admission to MP & hotel stay in Agues Calientes on Friday night. That same train
also can take you directly to Cusco on Saturday in time for the 7:45pm flight. You will need
to arrange for transportation to take you from the train station to the airport. Or you can
travel to Cuzco and stay there Friday night. There will be a large group that will be doing
this, hotel to be determined.
Option B: If you choose June 25th as your return date, in addition to visiting Machu Picchu
you may want to explore areas as suggested by past participants (Colca Canyon trekking,
Arequipa white water rafting, Puno Lake Titicaca to name a few). Verena from Las Casitas
del Arco Iris lascasitasdelarcoiris@gmail.com can assist you with these plans as well.
So Your Flight Choices are:
Option A:
LAN #531 10 Jun JFKLIM 1145P 625A 11JUN
LAN #2021 11 JUN LIMCUZ 1010A 1130A
LAN #2068 18 JUN CUZLIM 745P 915P
LAN #530 19 JUN LIMJFK 1250A 925A
Option B:
LAN #531 10 Jun JFKLIM 1145P 625A 11JUN
LAN #2021 11 JUN LIMCUZ 1010A 1130A
LAN #2028 25 JUN CUZLIM 9:00 10:50AM
LAN #530 26 JUN LIMJFK 1250A 925AM
Full payment with a credit card or a check from each passenger is due no later than March 30 th to
Elena @ CD Travel.
Once tickets are issued, they will be non refundable and penalties will apply for changes if needed and
possible increase in airfare. (Speak with CD Travel for details)
Accommodations:
Elena Meehan of CD Travel Planners 37 Polly Drive, Huntington, NY 11743
631-673-7930, cdtravel@optonline.net will be coordinating the hotel accommodations.
You will need to contact her directly to book this. There is a choice, depending on your
budget and desire for ease of access to the town. Payment in full for the hotel will be due
April 30th and paid to CD Travel, who will then wire the funds to the hotels.
•
1. La Quinta Eco Hotel (Edwin Gonzales/owner)
Calle Arenales 105, Urubamba Tel: +51 84 201448 http://www.laquintaecohotel.com/indexin.htm
This hotel is larger and can accommodate more guests. It is a 10 minute walk to town where there are
restaurants that Edwin will recommend to you that are safe places to eat (there is always the concern that
eating at a random place will give you a case of Traveler’s Diarrhea, so always keep that in mind!) The
hospital is about a 15-minute walk and the group goes together every morning, it is actually a nice way to
start the day! There is a choice of room types:
-Double rooms at $70 per night ($35pp)
-Triple room at $90 per night ($30pp)
-Quads rooms at $120 per night ($30pp)
*price includes a full Breakfast
• 2. Las Casitas de los Arcos Iris (Helena Van Engelen/Owner & Verena/ Manager)
Querocancha s/n, Urubamba Tel: +51 84 201475 | +51 84 201484
http://www.lascasitasdelarcoiris.com
This hotel is on the outskirts of the town, transportation via their van is provided to go to/from the hospital
daily. (Approx. 15 min by car) Dinner is offered, provided you request it that morning. If you want to eat in
town, either go straight from work and take a cab home or you the hotel will arrange a cab for you both ways.
There is a choice of room types:
-7 bungalows $90 per night ($45pp) max two in a room
-3 regular rooms *with one large bed in each $70 per night ($35pp) max two in a room
-3 regular rooms* with 2 beds in each, at $70 per night($35) max two in a room
*These regular rooms share bathrooms
*price includes a full Breakfast
Estimated Food Costs: ~$10/day (dinner), ~$7/day (lunch, this is included in your fees)
Required by A Promise to Peru, Inc.:
Due by January 30, 2016:
•
Physician Volunteer Registration Form or Non-Physician Volunteer Registration Form click
on link under Volunteer tab
•
Signed Waiver of Liability click on link under Volunteer tab
•
Signed Code of Conduct click on link under Volunteer tab
•
Scanned copy of your passport picture page (YOUR PASSPORT MUST BE VALID FOR AT LEAST
SIX MONTHS AFTER YOUR SCHEDULED RETURN
•
Supporting documents necessary for Temporary Medical Licenses (required for physicians &
listed on Physician Volunteer Registration form)
•
Administrative Fee: Exact amount TBD by January 15, 2016, we will email you the
amount shortly. It will include Sunday-Friday Daily Lunch at Hospital/Clinic
Snail Mail all of the above and Administrative fee by January 30th to:
Cathy Roberts, 6 Sage Brush Ct, Setauket, NY 11733; Check to be made out to A Promise to Peru, Inc.;
the fee is non refundable.
Due by March 30, 2016:

Evacuation Insurance is required and a copy of your policy needs to be
submitted to Cathy Roberts; cmroberts3@aol.com Suggestions include, but are not
limited to: https://buy.travelguard.com and www.Insuremytrip.com

Full payment for plane fare with a credit card or a check to Elena Meehan of CD
Travel Planners 37 Polly Drive, Huntington, NY 11743 631-673-7930,
cdtravel@optonline.net
Elena will be coordinating the air travel and hotel accommodations. Contact her directly.
Due by April 30:

Full payment for hotel. Paid to CD Travel; the funds will be wired to the hotels.
Vaccinations:



Do not delay in obtaining your vaccinations, we strongly advise you to initiate
this process in January/February.
Please discuss any necessary travel vaccinations with your primary care doctor
who may recommend consultation with a travel medicine physician based on
your insurance coverage. Travel vaccine recommendations can change from year
to year and every participant's health history is different. Please also visit
http://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/destinations/traveler/none/peru
Vaccines recommended are Hepatitis A, Hepatitis B,
diphtheria/tetanus/pertussis, typhoid and Yellow Fever (if you are traveling to
the jungle or to other South American countries). People usually don’t need
malaria prophylaxis unless you plan on going to the jungles before or after your
time in Urubamba.
What do we do once we arrive in Cusco on June 11?
You will need to arrive in Urubamba by Sunday June 12, 2016 at 12:30pm. At that time we
will meet at the Centro de Salud de Urubamba to have a group meeting to review the
itinerary for the workweek and eat lunch. After that all of the team will unpack the 50
pieces of luggage and set up the clinics and the operating room. Our eye team will also be
screening patients from our previous surgical expeditions. These patients will be
examined, measured for their implant and cleared for surgery so that there will be patients
ready for Monday morning.
So between the time we arrive in Cuzco at noon on 6/11 and noon on 6/12…..Relax and
rest up!
We would strongly recommend that you go directly to Urubamba and get settled into your
hotel. The town is nice to walk around in or there are open-air markets in neighboring
towns that you can visit. Transportation for you and your personal and mission luggage
will be provided for you from the airport to the hotel if you choose this option, otherwise
you can opt to do otherwise, just as long as you arrive in Urubamba by Sunday June 12,
2016, 12:30pm at Centro de Salud. NO EXCEPTIONS! We will unpack & set up the
clinics, OR and examine patients for Monday’s surgeries.
How can a participant offset the costs of the trip?
The members of the board of A Promise to Peru recognize and appreciate the fact that you
are donating your time and talents to assist us on the mission, in addition to taking
vacation time and paying for your trip.
Below are some ideas/suggestions and options for partial funding for all participants:
•
Create a Crowd Rise https://www.crowdrise.com/fundraise-and-volunteer/signupselect or Go Fund Me page https://www.gofundme.com for Friends and Family
members to support your philanthropic work!
•
A Promise to Peru, Inc. Travel Award $250 link will be posted in mid December
Applicant must meet all of the following criteria: non physician, a non student and a
previous A Promise to Peru mission participant
•
The Global Health Faith Award $250 sponsored by Anonymous Supporter
Criteria: Non-physician, http://apromisetoperu.com/2015/11/the-global-health-faith-award/
For Stony Brook Medical Students Only:
•
Stony Brook School of Medicine Alumni Association International Travel Award
$500, Application due by: on January 8th.
http://alumniandfriends.stonybrook.edu/chapters-and-clubs
•
Drs. Richard and Philip Messina Award for Excellence in Global Initiatives
http://medicine.stonybrookmedicine.edu/global_medical_education/application
$500, Application due by: on January 8th.
•
Spatz Foundation Award for Interdisciplinary Team $750 contact Dean M. Sedler
For Stony Brook Nursing and Physician Assistant Students:
•
Spatz Foundation Award for Interdisciplinary Team $750 students have been
selected by their Deans
For Stony Brook Ophthalmology Resident:
•
Drs. Richard and Philip Messina Award for Excellence in Global Initiatives
http://medicine.stonybrookmedicine.edu/global_medical_education/application
$350 Application due by: on January 8th, the award is matched by the generosity of
the Stony Brook Department of Ophthalmology. Total amount:$700