• Winner: WINNER
  • Date: 1/31/2016
  • Rotary Year: 2015-2016
  • Award Category: World Community Service (discontinued)
  • Club NameWaynesboro
  • Member First NameKathleen Heatwole
  • Address: 
    637 Locust Ave
    Waynesboro, VA 22980
    United States View on Map
  • Email: kheatwole@augustahealth.com
  • Brief Description: 
    Our club selected Malawi for a global grant because it is one of the poorest countries in Africa. Malawi has a population of over 15 million, and the majority live without electricity, running water or good sanitation. The average life expectancy is less than 45 years, and 1 in 5 children do not reach their 5th birthday.
    This information was shared with our club by a retired local orthopedic surgeon, Dr. Dave Burgess, who is currently doing mission work in Malawi. Dr. Burgess volunteers at the BEIT CURE hospital in Blantyre, Malawi, the only hospital in Malawi that provides free treatment of orthopedic injuries and disabilities for children. Children with disabilities and deformities are often ostracized and shunned. The BEIT CURE hospital operates the only club foot program in the country, which is critical, as the incidence of club foot deformity is double the rate in the US. The BEIT CURE hospital specializes in orthopedic care and is the largest provider of joint replacement surgery in southern Africa. The BEIT CURE hospital is also a teaching hospital for training surgeons, nurses and therapists and focuses on orthopedic teaching. Malawi has a severe shortage of physicians, with only 1/65,000 compared to 2.4/1,000 in the US.
    The goal of our project was to assist the dedicated doctors and staff at BEIT CURE hospital by providing needed medical equipment and supplies to support their care of children and adults. In addition, our club wanted to support a sustainable structure of orthopedic training by providing teaching technology and equipment.
    To accomplish this project, we partnered with the local Limbe Rotary Club in Blantyre, Malawi, Dr. Burgess, and the staff of the BEIT CURE hospital to develop a detailed needs assessment. With support from District 7570 Grants Chairman, Walter Hughes, our mentor throughout the project, we submitted an application for a Rotary International grant. We also worked with IMEC America, a non-profit equipment procurement company, with expertise to source low cost equipment and supplies.
    Our club raised $25,000 for this project. With support from District 7570 and a Rotary International global grant, the funds grew to $88,000. Using IMEC to procure the equipment resulted in approximately $400,000 of medical equipment being sent to the BEIT CURE hospital. The project will help provide care for orthopedic needs and will assure sustainability by training the next generation of orthopedic surgeons, nurses and physical therapists.
  • Participation of Club Members: 
    Approximately 33% of our club were directly involved either on the Board for review and approval of the project (12% through 3 Rotary years), by serving on the Malawi global grant committee (16%) or by developing communication and public information about the project (5%).
    100% of our club participated in this project to raise $25,000, either by contributing personally, soliciting members of the community or participating in club fund raising events.
  • Resulting Benefits: 
    *Our club was able to provide orthopedic equipment and supplies to a hospital in Malawi that was in serious need of new equipment to support their orthopedic surgery program and provide free care to children throughout the country
    *We were able to partner with a local Malawi Rotary Club and develop international friendships in a shared project to improve care in the country
    *The training equipment and supplies we provided will help sustain a teaching program for future physicians and staff, in a country with severe shortages of medical personnel. The training equipment will enable an increase in weekly didactic presentations, case presentations and conferences.
    *The imaging equipment, infection control equipment and critical care equipment we provided will improve the quality of care provided in the hospital.
    *This project was a wonderful bonding experience for our club, and all ages and levels of abilities were able to participate for a greater good.
    *Our club now has a greater appreciation and understanding of the power of Rotary to connect throughout the world and an appreciation of what one club can accomplish through this international organization.
  • Additional Material or Information #1: 
    A picture tells a thousand words, and we have attached pictures of a young patient seen by Dr Burgess before, during and after treatment. The arrival of the equipment was an exciting time, and the local Limbe Rotary Club was there to oversee the installation.
  • 1st Supporting Document: 
    2016 Malawi project photos.pdf
  • Additional Materail or Information #2: 
    15 suites of equipment and supplies were provided to the BEIT CURE hospital, and the attachment provides a description of the 15 suites
  • 2nd Supporting Document:
    2016 Malawi Equipment List.ppt