LIGA trip Nov 2013
This November Dr.
Burgess and his Physician Assistant Lisa Babel returned to the state of Sinaloa
Mexico to continue their work with LIGA International. They, along with 107 volunteers from around
the United States, were able to touch the lives of hundreds of patients in the
cities of El Fuerte and San Blas. Traveling with them and
helping to provide much needed equipment to treat the patients was a local
orthopedic representative, Jarred Martincic.
This November clinic was a busy one, treating 640 patients including
adults and children. Several specialty
areas were represented including podiatry, neurology, ophthalmology, ENT,
dentistry and orthopedic hand surgery.
Traveling back to El
Fuerte was something Dr. Burgess and Lisa had been looking forward to since
their last visit back in April. They
were able to connect with some of the patients they had surgically treated and
follow-up on their progress. Going back also meant familiarity; having their
prior experience allowed them to dive back in and get right to work. “Knowing what you have, but also knowing what
you need makes a big difference in how affective you can be in the time you are
there. I was able to prioritize patients
and provide surgery to all we could, but also plan for future trips where I
hope to secure much needed orthopedic implants,” said Dr. Burgess.
“Without question, the
hardest part of the trip is the look of disappointment in the eyes of a patient
when I have to tell them there is nothing I can do, or at least until I get the
proper equipment. These people come to
you with hope. Many of them are
suffering from chronic conditions from injuries sustained years ago. That painful look of disappointment is
contrary to the look of joy and appreciation when they feel their hope turn to
reality. It’s contagious and it keeps me
going back. Even my wife is planning to
help on the next trip. There is no
question, it can be an emotional experience with many ups and downs,” reflected
Dr. Burgess.
Unique to this trip was
a news team capturing the story of LIGA.
Rolando Nichols, lead news anchor and reporter for MundoFox, the
Spanish-language broadcast network and sister station to Fox News, along with
his cameraman and pilot traveled from California down to El Fuerte. They highlighted both El Fuerte and San Blas clinics, and hope to help spread the news about what the
volunteers are accomplishing, along with the tremendous need for more help and
equipment that still exists. Dr. Burgess
notes, “One of the more frustrating roadblocks to our success can be the very
Government of the people we are trying to serve. We have philanthropic companies and
organizations here in the States willing to donate equipment but when it gets
confiscated at the border or fined so heavily you have no choice but to turn
back, it’s deflating.” Dr. Burgess is
hopeful the awareness MundoFox brings, may help pry some of these “closed
political doors” open and allow LIGA to fulfill its mission.
Dr. Burgess says he is
commonly asked how safe it is in this region of Mexico. “I can say so far, I have felt completely
safe. You can’t be naïve and you have to
take precautions. The people of Mexico
have opened their hearts with thanks and many local women will cook for hours
on end to keep us fed while we work.
Admittedly, it was strange to see DEA agents in small squads loaded into
the back of pick-up trucks carrying automatic weapons, all dressed in black and
wearing ski masks to protect their identity from drug cartel soldiers. It was another sobering reminder how lucky we
are to live in the United States of America.”
