Operation Rotary Medical Relief

 

My husband and I were travelling to Kenya with our Rotary District 6380, and as part of the team building exercises were attended a "sorting" of medical supplies in Southfield Michigan known as World Medical Relief.  (here is their website:  https://www.worldmedicalrelief.org/).

 

We were overwhelmed not only by the size of this massive warehouse of medical supplies that had been donated, but by the scope of the work that they do.  As we drove home that day, we talked about how we should do some research and volunteer at OUR local medical relief warehouse.  As a retired nurse, I knew that there was ample medical supplies and equipment sitting idle in peoples garages, basements and homes.  

 

After some many hours on the internet, we came to realize that there was no-one doing this work in Southwestern Ontario.  We did find a couple of organizations within the province such as the Rotary group in Stratford, St. Catharines and Ottawa doing some of this type of work.  We looked for partners that we could use within Ontario that already had connections to shipping worldwide, and this brought us to the Warehouse of Hope in St. Catharines and "Not Just Tourists" who take medications abroad.  There was also a Rotary group in Vancouver doing this work, but transporting medical supplies to them would be cost prohibitive.

 

So, across the dinner table became the discussion of could we possiblly do this for Southwestern Ontario.  And so Operation Rotary Medical Relief was born.  A business proposal was taken to the Tilbury Rotary Club, and we all agreed that this was a worthwhile project that fit beautifully within the scope of Rotary.  We agreed to be the leads, and set up a facebook page and started getting the word out!

 

Today some of our partners include local hospitals, long term care homes, hospices, other CK Rotary clubs, St Elizabeth Nursing, VON, other community nursing organizations and the general public.

 

We collect, sort, and transport to the St. Catharines Warehouse of Hope that which is collect and  where the equipment is cleaned, repaired if necessary and loaded onto shipping containers and shipped worldwide.  So far, our efforts have been sent to Kenya, Hatai, Philippines, India and more.  

 

We have donated wheelchairs of all types, IV equipment, hospital beds, feeding equipment, syringes, dressing supplies, x-ray machines, walkers, crutches, commodes, incontinent products, urinals, blood pressure cuffs, catheters, surgical equipment, shower chairs, ostomy supplies, chest tubes, sterile dressings, tables, splints, barrier wipes and much more.

 

Help spread the word!