VOLUNTEER doctors and nurses from Memphis Mission of Mercy in the United States of America came to Victorias City on September 30 to conduct the 9th Medical and Surgical mission, which will run until October 4 at Victorias Kaayong Lawas Foundation Inc.
This annual medical mission started during the incumbency of former mayor Remedios Bantug and was carried on by the incumbent administration of Mayor Francis Frederick Palanca.
Renato Zalamea, a registered nurse, and his family helped organized the medical mission.
He said the healing was inspired by the gratitude from their recipients who spent not a single centavo for the surgery.
The team of doctors and nurses who are a mix of foreigners and Filipinos had the passion to help others as their way of sharing their gift of healing and caring for the sick.
"Our primary purpose is just to be able to serve and provide quality medical and surgical care. Our long term vision is to be able to have a place wherein we could have access to poor people in helping them avail of the medical and surgical care for free. We will have the facility open for all Filipinos so that they can come to us for treatment," he said.
They performed the surgery at Victorias Kaayong Lawas Foundation Inc. facility.
"We have been coming back here for nine years. We have also been in the other parts of the Philippines. But we have been coming back here. We have 10 volunteer doctors, nurses and non-medical volunteers, physio-therapists as they will also give out crutches and walkers for stroke victims," he said.
After the surgery, the patients who underwent surgery will be followed up with the aid of the local doctors.
They chose Victorias because of the people. "We have noticed that the people here really appreciate what we are doing and that is important to someone whenever we provide service. A mere thank you is great enough and we saw that and we feel the love of the people here," he said.
Zalamea started doing medical mission in South America. But since he is a Filipino from Pagsanghan, Laguna, he brought his medical mission in the Philippines.
Meanwhile, Mayor Palanca thanked the Memphis Mission of Mercy volunteers for taking care of Victoriahanons who need surgery.
The city facilitated their accommodation.
This year, they are also doing the groundbreaking for the Memphis Mission of Mercy Medical center, which will construct a 40-room with six operating/surgical rooms medical center worth about P50 million to be constructed in Barangay 12, Victorias City.
He thanked Manny, Luige, Joey and Raul Benedicto for donating a parcel of lot to the Memphis Mission of Mercy.
This aims to serve the people of Victorias and others of their medical and surgical needs for free.
The facility will be a modern one that will use robotics surgical operation in Victorias.
They will cater to treat indigents, he said.