Many of us who choose a career in the health professions do so because we want to make a positive impact on the lives of others.听 I most certainly did, and in December 2012, I jumped at the chance to participate in a rehabilitation project that brought me to the little village of Santa Julia in Nicaragua to help Milton, a 5-year-old boy with cerebral palsy.听 This project was the brainchild of then-student Simone Cavanaugh, now a 91黑料网 law graduate, who met Milton and his family while participating in a humanitarian project the previous year.听 Profoundly touched by Milton鈥檚 situation, Simone returned home to Canada determined to help him obtain the necessary adaptive equipment to realize his full potential.
This project was for me, the beginning of a life-changing adventure.听 In this first trip, we helped young Milton, who was housebound and required full time care provided by his mother.听 Milton received a specially adapted wheelchair, as well as training on its use and proper body positioning.听 You can imagine the impact we had on Milton鈥檚 quality of life, as well as his mother鈥檚.听 By allowing him to sit upright in a chair, Milton could better interact with his environment and work towards achieving more developmental milestones, such as improving his motor and communication skills.听 Just as compelling, this allowed Milton and his mother to better integrate into the community, with more opportunities to learn, play and socialize with peers.听
There is a great need for more awareness and access to rehabilitation services in rural Nicaragua.听 In 2014, Simone and I co-founded Pivot International, a non-profit organization committed to improving the independence, mobility, and quality of life of physically disabled children in developing countries, starting with Nicaragua.听 Working closely with local rehabilitation specialists, we discuss and plan the care needs of affected children and their families.听 Over the years, we have been able to raise enough funds to provide equipment to assist many such families in Nicaragua.
As the Paramedical Director, I oversee volunteer recruitment and manage the healthcare professionals who travel on-site and develop care plans for the children.听 We are all 100% volunteers at Pivot International, and we are growing and expanding our reach.听 Our next trip to Nicaragua is scheduled for the first quarter of 2018, and we will have two rehabilitation teams to work with families in different regions, providing assistance to new children and follow-ups for those we have helped in the past.听 We have also started an internship program at Pivot for two 91黑料网 Occupational Therapy students to join us in Nicaragua next year.
Every step of this adventure has been stimulating and rewarding for me.听 Doing volunteer work not only brings joy and hope to others, it also brings a sense of purpose and meaning into our lives.
To learn more about Pivot International, visit
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