What’s the purpose of the Christmas Advent season? It’s a time for reflection and expectation. It also offers us a unique opportunity to draw connections between our personal spiritual journey and the important work we may do in the inspiring field of international health. Advent is a time of anticipation and preparation for the arrival […]
Thanks and giving. The union of these words is a powerful combination. Do you have thanks for the advantages you enjoy? Perhaps education, good health, encouraging friendships, a fulfilling job, maybe even a little financial margin. Dwelling upon thankful thoughts is clearly good for your emotional and physical well-being. Recently, have you told those in
September has been marred by weapons of war: missiles in the Middle East, hunger in Sudan, terror in Ukraine, expulsion in Myanmar/Burma. Such weapons are tools of conflict, violence – and at the core – dehumanization of enemies and those unfortunate noncombatants who live nearby. For two years in the 1990s I lived in the
In spite of great progress in technology and economic growth, some communities around the globe continue to be deeply disadvantaged. Envision locations in Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, India, or Tanzania. In light this situation, 5-10-day international healthcare service trips continue to be popular. Post-pandemic, some 5,000 teams are traveling outside of North America each year for
Temperature on the earth’s surface has been rising steadily for at least 140 years. Summer 2024 in the northern hemisphere is especially concerning, with mercury-popping thermostat measurements and record-breaking emergency department admissions. Understanding the impact of extreme heat on human health and implementing strategies to mitigate these risks is crucial – especially for the world’s
With no measles nearby, the vaccine is not necessary. The Spanish flu began in Spain. Healthy adults must drink eight glasses of water per day. You can catch a cold by being cold. Drinking the beverage Vitamin Water will make you healthy. What do each of these statements have in common? First, they are all
This Kansas City event on May 30-31 may not be a fit for you. Please DO NOT come to the Humanitarian Health Conference for the following reasons: Reason #1: You are not distressed over today’s victims of war, you are not concerned for those who are disabled or elderly, you are not apprehensive over the
180 women give birth each day in Gaza. Save the Children projects 15% of them experience birth complications: bleeding, infection, seizures. With virtually all healthcare facilities shuttered or disabled, where will these women find help? Some 650,000 children in Gaza are hungry, per UNICEF. That’s about half the population of the Kansas City area. Highly
With virtual conferences the norm since 2020, why bother with traveling in-person to such events? The question is compelling because travel can be costly and require attention to logistics. But virtual participants report feeling a little bored and especially miss the most compelling reasons of face-to-face conferences: quality interaction with colleagues and hands-on skill acquisition.
David Livingston, one of the 1800’s most beloved personalities, is best remembered as an explorer. He was the first person know to traverse southern Africa, to see Victoria Falls, and to walk the length of the Nile River, discovering its origins. But Livingston’s autobiography documents a different identity. He saw himself primarily as a physician