"The refugees we will be serving in April have all suffered. First from the collapse of their homeland, then from their dislocation, and now from their dispossession.  Virtually all of them have suffered trauma - emotional, physical, or both - as well as the deaths of loved ones.  The worlds attention has been startling absent amid this slow moving catastrophe.  Our skills, dedication, and platforms as healers are sorely needed." - Jihad, Syrian American Medical Society

Its time to do my part, so I have joined Global Outreach Doctors (March 31 - April 14) who will be working in partnership with the Syrian American Medical Society

I am fully committed to personally funding this trip as a volunteer including the cost of food, accommodation and flights.  However, I am humbly asking if anyone would like to contribute to help offset my personal costs, especially the flights. 

For more information about the refugee camp we will be serving:

www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3429835/King-Abdullah-says-Jordan-boiling-point-number-Syrian-refugees.html

http://data.unhcr.org/syrianrefugees/settlement.php?id=176&region=77&country=107

http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2015/10/syrians-zaatari-camp-live-151021074641938.html

If you are uncomfortable or unable to donate to my personal expenses (I fully understand) but still would like to donate something that directly impacts the Syrians we will be serving, I will also be collecting donations for medications and supplies.  Leave me a message in the comment box (or email me) that you would like your donation to be used specifically towards medications and I will purchase and transport them for you.  Or if you are a doctor and have samples in your office I could use these as well (must NOT be expired)

We are looking for the following medications:

• Metformin 500 mg, Glimepiride 2 mg
• Lisinopril 10 mg, Atenolol 50 mg, HCTZ 25mg
• Tylenol 500 mg , ibuprofen 200 mg, children’s Tylenol
• gabapentin 100 mg-300 mg
• Aspirin: 81 mg
• Amoxicillin 500 mg , Cipro 500 mg, children amoxicillin, Flagyl, Clindamycin, Keflex
• Atrovastatin: 10 mg
• Levothyroxine 0.1 mg
• Citalopram 20 mg
• Loratadine 10 mg
• Ranitidine 300 mg or 150 mg, TUMS, Colace, Senna, Immodium, PPIs
• Ferrous Sulfate 325 mg
• Ventolin
• Lasix 20 mg
• Hydrocortisone 1% creams
• Joint pain relief creams and ointments
• Pregnancy tests
• Glucometers with needles and strips.

Lastly, if you would like to donate directly to the organizations I will be working with, please check out their web sites below.  This money will not go to me but is used towards logistics, medications, supplies etc for these types of deployments, allowing medical providers to care for those in need across the world. You may get a tax receipt too. 

www.globaloutreachdoctors.org

www.sams-usa.net/foundation 

Thank you so much for checking out this page and for all your support.  These donations help send skilled workers (this time its me!) to the corners of the world where they are needed most.  I appreciate it so much!

Much love

Melissa

(background photo was borrowed from MANDEL NGAN/AFP/Getty Images from the following article http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/07/18/zaatari-refugee-camp-photos_n_3618761.html)