Paul Neis, MD; Dody Neis, RN; and Brenda Swindle, Certified Scrub Tech, recently returned from an eight-day medical mission to Antigua, Guatemala, where they partnered with the Medical Missions Foundation to deliver life-changing surgical care.
The mission took place at Obras Sociales del Santo Hermano Pedro Hospital, where a team of otolaryngology (ENT) and urology specialists performed 72 operations for patients who otherwise would have had no access to specialized medical treatment.
Dr. Neis, an ENT physician, treated both adults and children during the trip. “It’s very fulfilling,” he said. “You have the opportunity to perform life-changing surgeries for people who have no other way to get it. One of the women I performed surgery on drove over 10 hours to have the procedure done.”
Dody worked in the post-operation recovery unit, providing vital care to patients as they recovered, while Brenda assisted in the operating room, helping prepare for and carry out each procedure.
“My job would have been much more difficult had Brenda not been part of the group,” Dr. Neis said. “She was able to help make the best of situations when equipment and supplies were not what we were used to.”
The Medical Missions Foundation is a nonprofit organization that partners with healthcare professionals to provide free medical care to underserved populations worldwide. For many of the mission’s patients, the surgeries marked not just medical interventions but opportunities for a better quality of life.
Baxter Health said it is proud of Dr. Neis, Dody and Brenda for their dedication to delivering high-quality care both locally and abroad, calling their service an example of the staff’s commitment to providing compassionate care beyond measure.
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