I asked her why she decided to volunteer her services. In a heartfelt way, she told her story. “Tikun Olam, repairing the world, is a core Jewish value. I feel blessed to have chosen a profession which enables me to improve people’s vision and perhaps in a small way, contribute to Tikun Olam. I always wanted to do this and I promised myself that when my children were grown, I would. It is the ultimate of what you go into medicine for, to help people in any way you can. You get back more than you give improving the quality of patients’ lives.”
She joined the Volunteer Health Program, established about 15 years ago by an ophthalmologist and his wife from the New York Eye and Ear Infirmary. A Jesuit group, the Institute for Latin American Concerns, built a mission in Licey near Santiago, Dominican Republic to provide medical care for the impoverished indigenous population living in huts and clay homes, for which there is little or no access to medical care.
The Jesuit Mission built a medical facility including a clinic, operating room and housing for the patients and medical staff -- bungalows much like what kids stay in when they are in summer camp. The beds were equipped with mosquito netting. While the facility may not be ideal in comparison to our medical facilities here, for the patients there it was a blessing – most of them were rural and poor, and had never seen a doctor or even received any medical care before.
Dr. Fell was one of 14 physicians in the group, which included cataract surgeons, corneal surgeons, pediatric ophthalmologists, ophthalmic plastic surgeons as well as an anesthesiologist, a dermatologist and an internist. There also were many registered nurses, ophthalmic technicians, operating room technicians and lay people. Alongside the medical staff were young, enthusiastic Peace Corps volunteers who acted as Spanish translators.
In a week’s time, the volunteers saw 1,300 patients. Although Dr. Fell’s specialty is in ophthalmology and surgery, she brought her skills and expertise to whatever was needed.
A typical day began at 6 a.m. with 250 patients waiting at the clinic door. “It was heartwarming to enter the clinic area each day being greeted by trusting, grateful and hopeful patients,” Dr. Fell said. “One might have thought we were royalty by the looks of awe and respect in their faces.”
The doctors and staff were on their feet from 7:30 in the morning until 7:30 at night. An array of illnesses needed to be addressed, including pterygum -- a growth of scar tissue that covers the eye in response to over-exposure to sun and wind, inhibiting vision – all too common among farmers in the sun-rich climate of the Dominican Republic. Many of the patients were totally blind in one or both eyes from a number of causes.
Dr. Fell reported conditions needing eye and plastic surgery that she had not seen before -- even after years of providing medical care at The New York Eye and Ear Infirmary as well as her own practice. “You do what you have to do. And the patients are so appreciative,” she said.
The group was able to collect thousands of old glasses from the United States -- Dr. Fell was elated to witness firsthand the effect of corrective lenses on the population, particularly of a young girl who had an astigmatism and could see for the first time.
Before ending their service to this community, the group had the sad task of telling patients -- some who had brought their entire families for care -- that all the surgical slots had been filled. They would be back next year. “It really expands your perspective on life in general,” said Dr. Fell.
Besides the spiritually satisfying gift of serving a people in need, there was another great benefit for Dr. Fell -- the camaraderie between health care professionals. Since there was no payment for staff, no insurance issues, no overhead, no politics and no business competition, the volunteers were able to bond in a very significant way, each cooperating and giving care together to the best of their ability. Lifelong friends were made. “Without the worry of bureaucracy, medicine can be practiced for medicine’s sake,” Dr. Fell said.
“How many people wouldn’t be happy to positively affect another human being’s life at some point in their life?” she added. “We volunteers got to do that many times over during our stay, and I feel I get to have that privilege every day in my office. It’s what keeps me going.”
Is she going back again next year?
“Absolutely,” she said.
Resources
* Dr. Millie R. Fell, M.D., F.A.C.S, Brighton Eye Associates, 2727 Ocean Parkway, Brooklyn, NY 11235 718-332-0444 www.brightoneye.com
* Institute for Latin American Concern
