M3 Welcomes CMDA – Houston Chapter!
M3 is excited to welcome Christian Medical and Dental Associations (CMDA) to Houston, Texas! M3 Co-Founder, Dr. Paul Osteen, recently met with CMDA reps Grant Hewitt and Patrick Miller to talk about the new Houston chapter that CMDA is launching. Grant (pictured center) is the Southern Regional Director, and Patrick (pictured left) is the Area Director, who will be located in Houston.
We are also honored to have Mike Chupp, MD, Executive Vice President of CMDA, as a speaker at the upcoming M3 Conference on February 22-23, 2019. At the M3 Conference, you will have the opportunity to visit personally with CMDA at their booth in the conference Exhibit Hall, so be sure to make plans to attend. Click here to register today – and if you register by December 1st and use promo code M32019SPECIAL, you will receive 25% off!
If you are in the medical or dental field, whether a student, currently practicing, or retired, and want to learn more about how to get involved with a CMDA chapter near you, click here.
In a Small Clinic in Rural Migori County, Kenya…
We were so touched by this story by Michelle Turner, the Executive Director of The Addis Clinic, that we wanted to share it with you. The Addis Clinic is an M3 partner, and their mission is to partner with local organizations, empower frontline health workers, and bring healing to underserved areas through telemedicine.
Mrs. Turner writes:
On my recent trip to East Africa, I saw firsthand the impact our telemedicine has.
One story has stuck with me, and it comes from a small clinic in rural Migori County, Kenya. While touring the modest facility we met a little boy, Barasa*, and his mother. They had traveled to the clinic, their only option for medical care, because Barasa was experiencing extreme swelling in his right eye along with several other complications. This started 4 months ago, but by the time Barasa arrived at the clinic, he could not walk, sit up, or speak.
If a child arrived at a hospital in the US in this condition, he would immediately be admitted, and a team of specialists would be assigned to his treatment. Barasa, however, lives in an area where this isn’t possible. His care team consists of a dedicated clinical officer and nurse, armed with a tablet that links them to dozens of physician volunteers through The Addis Clinic.
Barasa’s case was assigned to a pediatrician and ENT within our volunteer network. Our pediatrician responded in a matter of minutes with recommendations, but the outlook was not good. Given the severity of Barasa’s symptoms, it would be difficult to manage such a severe case with very limited resources. The back and forth communication through our telemedicine technology continued throughout the week, and I continued to check up on his progress. Meeting patients in person forms a connection that we don’t often get. I have a 6-year-old son and seeing the pain Barasa was in and the hurt it caused his mother hit close to home. That could be my son, and that terrified mother could be me. It is hard for many of us to imagine what it is like to be unable to access lifesaving care for one of our children. After a fantastic job of implementing the guidance provided by our volunteer physicians, the clinical officer reported this week that Barasa was able to go home! The infection responded to the second round of antibiotics. Barasa will get to play for the rest of the summer and return to school. He may grow up to be a doctor, farmer, teacher, or president of Kenya.
Through God’s beautiful tapestry of the network of volunteer physicians and supporters of The Addis Clinic, Barasa’s life was saved! Thank you, Mrs. Turner, for sharing this story with us!
To learn more about The Addis Clinic and how you can get involved, click here.
*Name changed
Kelly Sites Receives Nursing Hero Award
M3 would like to congratulate Kelly Sites for being honored by the Michigan Nurses Association (MNA) with the Nurse Hero Award. MNA presents this award to a Michigan registered nurse in recognition of their heroism.
M3 has been blessed to have had the privilege of Kelly speaking at our 2017 and 2018 conferences, and we celebrate her for receiving this well-deserved award.
To learn more about Samaritan’s Purse Disaster Assistance Response Team (DART) program, click here.
Shop With A Purpose, Shop Fair Trade
October is Fair Trade month! What is “Fair Trade?” Fair trade is a movement to support economic opportunities for marginalized communities through ethical, environmentally conscious, and sustainable production. When you buy Fair Trade, you know the hands who made what you purchase. You also know that your product was made in safe working conditions and the person was paid fairly.
We are excited to announce that once again, the M3 Conference will have a fair trade store! It will be hosted by HandUp Global Goods (HUGG) – they offer a ‘hand up’ for teens transitioning out of orphanages to eliminate a life of ‘handouts.’
HUGG lovingly empowers young men living in impoverished communities to transform their lives and the lives of those around them through a holistic development process. From providing a job, to spiritual development, financial literacy, and vocational training, HUGG equips these young men to become responsible workers, family members, and community leaders. The results extend beyond the individual men and transform families and communities. Click here to learn more about HandUp Global Goods.
Click here to register to attend the M3 Conference on February 22 and 23, 2019, and be sure to stop by the HUGG market place at the conference.