We are very proud to announce that ISHI has been collaborating with various individuals and Ukrainian organizations to provide support to the ongoing humanitarian efforts in Ukraine.
Ukranian medical staff receiving donated supplies
Since the start of the war in Ukraine, ISHI has focused on helping with the ongoing relief efforts. We have sorted and packed for hours donation as well as supplies from our inventory. So far we have donated 30 boxes with hundreds of medical supplies and equipment to Ukraine.
Refugee center on the Ukranian-Polish border
These medical supplies (such as first aid material, wound care supplies tourniquets etc..) have been selected based on the requests we have received from teams on the ground.The boxes packed with valuable supplies have been transported by courageous volunteers, international carriers, as well by other Ukrainian organizations to Ukraine.
This ongoing effort is only possible thanks to the volunteers donating their time and effort
These photos highlight the various individuals who are helping with the collection, sorting, packing, and delivery of medical supplies to help the injured and those in need in Ukraine. They also show teams receiving these supplies in Ukraine.
ISHI would like to thank the NJMS Recover group, the Rutgers Center for Global Surgery, the Ukrainian Association Community center and tens of volunteers who have generously provided their time and effort to help with is initiative to help the people of Ukraine
On February 11, 2019, the NJMS ISHI Club hosted an Imaging & Ultrasound in Global Health Workshop which was attended by about 30 students.
Dr. Ankur Parikh, from the Department of Radiology, gave a lecture on "Global Health & Imaging: A Case Report on Haiti," and talked about various challenges within imaging and radiology in the context of global health, focus specifically on Haiti. Dr. Navin Ariyaprakai, an emergency medicine physician and the director of the EMS fellowship at Newark Beth Israel, spoke about disaster medicine and EMS. Following the guest lectures and presentations, Joslyn Joseph, an EMS fellow at NBI, and Dr. Ariyaprakai gave a live demonstration using the portable ultrasound and allowed students to see different views of various organ systems using the ultrasound.
This week as the nation celebrates National Nurses Week, ISHI would like to highlight one of our most dedicated and respected nurses, Stephanie Burroughs. Stephanie grew up in Jersey City and always dreamed of working as a nurse in the Emergency Department. She has over 20 years of clinical experience and currently works as a trauma nurse at University Hospital, in Newark, NJ. She has also worked as a Cardiac Nurse, but her passion is undoubtedly in the Trauma ED where, “just when I think I’ve seen everything, something new shows its face.” Her first mission with ISHI was in Guatemala in 2011, and to date, Stephanie has been on over eight missions. In addition to her work in the PACU on missions, Stephanie’s contributions to support ISHI have been invaluable. She educates locals on missions, mentors new volunteers, conducts interviews for new prospects, and helps with organizing and planning ISHI events and fundraisers. She is respected and loved by her co-workers at University Hospital and fellow ISHI volunteers. Stephanie is always calm under pressure, respectful and most importantly on missions, flexible and adaptable.
“Stephanie is always calm, mature, and happy- always a pleasure to have on missions”- Dr. Ziad Sifri- ISHI President
When Stephanie isn’t working at UH or on missions, she enjoys gardening and crocheting. Stephanie is also on the board of Women Leaders in Action (WLA), a non-profit dedicated to empowering women for success through personal and professional development, mentoring, promoting diabetes awareness, and community outreach activities. Not only is Stephanie a role model for others but she also believes there is always something to learn. “It’s important to realize that when volunteering, you’re not always learning from someone who is more formally educated, that we can learn from anybody and everybody.” She also volunteers her time for medical missions with Saving Lives Initiative, a NGO in Sierra Leone.
“I never met someone like Stephanie Burroughs. She is more than a colleague and mentor; she’s a friend above all. Stephanie is a fountain of knowledge and selfless in all she does. You can always count on her whether to ask a nursing question, to gardening to advice on life. She’s nurturing in every aspect. Even after she’s done caring for her patients, she continues to dedicate herself to ISHI and a women’s empowerment organization.”-Jessica Barbosa, Trauma Surgery, APN-BC
Founder and Executive Director Melissa Zuk of Purses for Nurses recently reached out to ISHI to identify a nurse who we felt embodied the spirit of global healthcare and volunteerism. Without hesitation, we recommended Stephanie. Her dedication, compassion, maturity and warm presence exemplify what ISHI looks for in a volunteer. To see her interview, visit www.pursesfornurses.org on May 11, 2018.
“Always smiling, very cool and calm!”-Bibo Sabbagh- ISHI Treasurer
“Stephanie has a quiet confidence and demeanor that comes across as respectful and approachable. She is open-minded and easily adapts to change. Stephanie, through her years of experience, sees the bigger picture of how missions work. I look forward to being on many more missions with her.”- Vickey Patel- ISHI Vice President- Communications
Sierra Leone November-December 2018
Interested in joining our ISHI team in Sierra Leone? We are currently recruiting for all clinical volunteer positions including logistics. ISHI will be returning to Sierra Leone for the fifth time at the end of Nov-early Dec (*dates TBD). Please review the FAQs on our volunteer page and fill out an application if you are interested in being a part of our Sierra Leone 2018 team.
Upcoming Mission-Peru May 2018
Our Peru team is complete, we are no longer accepting applications. Please consider applying to be part of our Ghana or Sierra Leone team.
Thank you for your interest.
Ghana Mission September 2018
Our 6th time back to the Tetteh Quarshie Memorial Hospital (TQMH) in Mampong, Ghana will mark ISHI’s 25th milestone mission. The team will be returning to Ghana *Sept 20-30, 2018. We are currently recruiting for all clinical volunteer positions including logistics. Please review the FAQs on our volunteer page and fill out an application if you are interested in being a part of our Ghana 2018 team.
*Exact dates subject to change.
Ibrahim Sabbagh is affectionately called ‘Bibo’ by those who know him. To know Bibo, is to love him. Bibo is ISHI’s treasurer, co-founder of ISHI Canada and logistics extraordinaire. He lives in Montreal, Canada with his family and has devoted himself to helping ISHI carry on its mission since 2009.
Through his academic and professional background, Bibo is well versed in accounting and finance. He speaks four languages, Arabic, French, English and Spanish. Bibo worked tirelessly to move ISHI into a recognized non-profit NGO and currently manages all of ISHI’s finances. When he isn’t focused on managing those important aspects of ISHI, he organizes the logistics for all the missions from his home in Montreal.
When Bibo handles the logistics for a mission, volunteers can rest easy knowing he has handled every aspect including travel itinerary, lodging, food, and cultural activities. What some may not know are all the thoughtful things that Bibo does behind the scenes for volunteers. Call it paternal instinct or just being extraordinarily thoughtful, Bibo always goes out of his way on every mission to ensure every volunteer is content. He has a subtle, benevolent way of taking care of all the volunteer needs. He has been known to stay up into the middle of the night just to make sure volunteers arrived safely back to the hotel after an evening out. In Peru, a volunteer recalled how Bibo found a bakery that sold her favorite cookies and surprised her with them after a long mission day. His mission days are longer than most of the volunteers to make sure each day runs as planned. He not only handles logistics for the volunteers, but also works closely with local liaisons to ensure the team has the necessary local supplies to run a safe mission. Simply put, without Bibo, ISHI wouldn’t be as successful of an organization as it is today. To date, Bibo has been on five missions with ISHI; Sierra Leone two times and Peru three times. Fellow volunteers see Bibo as someone who is loyal, selfless, funny, kind and patient. He always puts others before himself while on a mission.
“I have supported a number of missions from visiting surgical teams in Peru. Something volunteers often do not realize is how much work the team logistics person puts in, and also how important that role is. Whilst there will be several surgeons and other professions, there is normally only one person taking responsibility for pretty much everything beyond the surgeries. It has been a real pleasure to work with and get to know Bibo, who works so hard for ISHI and its volunteers. His work begins months before the mission starts and does not end until the last volunteer is home. Fundraising, travel plans, daily transport, hotel liaison, scouting out restaurants, and physically providing lunches for teams, are just some of what he does. He is deeply committed to ISHI, and takes time away from his wife and young children, all to try and ensure that people with very limited resources can receive the surgeries they need.”- Kevin Hurley, Trujillo, Peru Liaison
“Bibo…the cool, calm and collected one amongst all the chaos of what it takes to have a successful mission. Having someone that a whole team can rely on in an unfamiliar country and setting is extremely valuable and the team is forever grateful to Bibo.” - Bruno Beja-Umukoro, CRNA
“Bibo is the ‘everything man’…water, money, food and serving as a bodyguard multiple times. He was an integral part of our team and we all appreciated him tremendously.” - Dr. Melinda Ball, Anesthesiologist
“Bibo is life!” - Beka Bosire- RN
“Bibo needed to change some money, get supplies for ISHI, and cloth to have pants made for his daughter. I also wanted to buy some local cloth for my bead project. We walked through the dark traditional market checking every stall before he found the perfect material for his young daughter. After buying some snacks for the volunteers, we were approached by a large man who flashed an immigration officer card. He asked for our papers and made us follow him to the immigration office. I was scared and angry, but Bibo never lost his cool. He calmly explained who we were and that all our passports were at Mr. Conteh's guesthouse. He just smiled and let the officer do most of the talking. We left with the main man's phone number so Mr. Conteh could speak to him. Bibo seemed unfazed and amused by the whole situation. As we walked home he handed out granola bars to the passing children. Bibo is organized, calm, in control at all times, generous and kind. Without him the mission would not have run as smoothly.”- Debbie Livingston- Logistics
On September 20, 2017, ISHI marked its 21st mission and returned to Tetteh Quarshie Memorial Hospital (TQMH) in Mampong, Ghana for the fifth time.
On the clinical side of our mission, ISHI expanded upon the work that was initiated during prior missions. From a surgical standpoint, we performed 61 surgeries.
As with all missions, there was didactic and clinical education and an exchange of knowledge between the ISHI volunteers and clinical staff at TQMH.
International Surgical Health Initiative prides itself as a NGO run 100% by volunteers. Our volunteers devote their time, money, expertise and most importantly their commitment to make a significant impact on every single mission.
Dr. Kevin Clarke is no exception to this. Dr. Clarke is board certified in Surgery with subspecialty training in Surgical Oncology. Dr. Clarke committed to a career in medicine early in his life. A graduate of Binghamton University (BA, Biology, 1994) and the University of Connecticut School of Medicine (MD, 1998), he completed general surgery residency training at the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey (NJMS), where he was also chosen to be Administrative Chief Resident. He completed a fellowship in Surgical Oncology at City of Hope National Cancer Center in 2006 and was subsequently recruited to join the faculty at NJMS, where in addition to patient care, he served as the Associate Program Director General Surgery Residency program and Associate Program Director General Surgery Clerkship program from 2009-2011. He was then recruited to the Department of Surgery to be Director of Surgical Oncology at Newark Beth Israel Medical Center in 2011. Dr. Clarke is the recipient of numerous awards including, Golden Key National Honor Society, New Jersey Oncology Society, AACT Research Scholar and the Golden Apple Teaching Award. He is a Fellow American College of Surgeons, member of the National Medical Association, Associate Member-Society of Black Academic Surgeons, Candidate Group-American College of Surgeons, Member-New Jersey Oncology Society, Associate Member-American Association of Cancer Research, Member-Society of Surgical Oncology, Member-American Society of Clinical Oncology, and Member Association for Academic Surgery.
“One of the most touching moments was when Dr. Clarke came out of the OR and peered through the recovery room doors, like a guardian angel, it showed me a different side of him. He genuinely cares for the overall wellbeing of his patients. I continue to admire how approachable and personable he remains with those he serves and all members of the healthcare team. I am honored to have worked with him on several missions. He is not only just an amazing surgeon but a true humanitarian.” –Lanika, RN
Dr. Clarke joined ISHI as a volunteer surgeon in 2009 and has been on 8 missions to date. His global mission work with ISHI has taken him to Guatemala, Philippines, Haiti two times, and Ghana four times. Through repeat ISHI missions to Ghana, he has established a prominent presence not only at Tetteh Quarshie Memorial Hospital but also in the city of Aburi itself. He is known personally to the Queen Nana who holds Dr. Clarke in the highest regard.
Dr. Kevin Clarke was bestowed the official title of Nana Ayeh from Obosomase. During our most recent mission to Ghana in September 2017, several surgical patients came to TQMH specifically asking for Dr. Clarke. These patients were referred by family members and friends who themselves were patients on past ISHI missions.
Dr. Kevin Clarke has earned himself a reputation as an excellent, caring surgeon at TQMH. If you ask ISHI volunteers and TQMH staff about Dr. Clarke, you will find nothing but praise and admiration for him. When not in the Operating Room, you can find him checking in on his post-operative patients, visiting the PACU/ Floor nurses or talking to other members of the ISHI team just to see how their day is going.
His patience, composure, bedside manner and personable approach make him liked by all his fellow ISHI team members. Adding to his list of ISHI accomplishments, Dr. Clarke co-judged ISHI’s first talent show (took his role very seriously) and won a rookie hand at UNO (or so he told us it was).
He embodies teamwork, professionalism and a lightheartedness that makes him a welcome to any ISHI mission.
Twenty volunteers from 5 states came together in Trujillo, Peru May 19-27, 2017 to complete a milestone 20th mission for ISHI. Although the clinic was new to ISHI, the mission goal of providing free surgery to those in underserved areas remained the same....
-by Vickey Patel PT, MS
ISHI's annual celebration last weekend was a great time! Members of the 2016 Ghana and Peru teams reflected on their experiences and reconnected with their teams.
All volunteers received a gift of appreciation and some lucky raffle winners went home with generous gift baskets.
We look forward to more successful missions in 2017 and more opportunities to celebrate our volunteers and supporters!
To continue the work started by ISHI volunteer Dr. Rachel Chapman, MD on its last mission to Tetteh Quarshie Memorial Hospital (TQMH) in Mampong, Ghana, a new Mindray ultrasound probe transducer was purchased and donated to the hospital.
This probe will improve the diagnostic capacity of the hospital and allow for expanded training in ultrasound techniques for the house officers and residents working at TQMH.
ISHI and its collaborators are dedicated to expanding our practical education in the Akuapem region using remote teaching throughout the year to reinforce in-person education undertaken during our visits.
