Ever since she participated in an International Surgical Health Initiative (ISHI) surgical mission to Haiti following the devastating earthquake in January of 2010, University Hospital ER nurse Jhoselyn Thomas, top left, has dreamed of leading an all nurse mission to help some of the most undeserved in the world. With a lot of persistence, her dream came true; the mission was organized with the help of ISHI, a nonprofit organization based out of NJ in partnership with Jungle Medic Missions in Guatemala. In October 2011, she, along with fellow University Hospital nurses Cathy Blaskewicz APN, Stephanie Burroughs RN, Janet Clausen RN, Michele Egarian APN, Natalia McTighe RN, Emma Toussaint RN, Caitlin Blaskewicz (logistics) and Nura Qureshi (photographer) traveled to the Rio Dulce Izabel area of Guatemala. The team spent 9 days, from October 2-11, 2011 working out of Jungle Medic's mobile clinic pictured above; a bus converted into a fully functioning medical facility. The bus has the unique ability to reach areas deep in the jungles, along the Rio Dulce river, that lack healthcare facilities and are often in dire need of medical help. The team examined and treated a total of 1,074 Mayan Indians. Most of the patients, mainly young mothers, their children and older women, had not seen a healthcare worker for over 2 years. Nearly everyone walked to the clinic site, it took some hours just to get to us. ISHI's nurse team treated various conditions such as rashes, abdominal pain, worm infestations, urinary infections, respiratory infections, joint pain, gastritis, anemia, body pains and many more conditions. They also provided wound care and assisted with placement of splints and draining abscesses. "It was a grueling but fulfilling experience to be able to help all these patients. We are very thankful to all the people who donated supplies and helped fundraise for our inaugural, nurse-driven mission," said Natalia McTighe RN, University Hospital nurse. "We hope to do it again in the future".