By Katherine LeTendresse, Student at Global Medicine Program, USC Floating Doctors Volunteer From the first hours encountering the health professionals who volunteer with or work full time at Floating Doctors, I had the feeling that the week ahead of me would be filled with interesting cases to learn from. What I realize now is that […]
“Yes, we can take that tooth out for you.”
By Dr. Kevin Lan Lead Dental Provider Floating Doctors A new year upon us, and what a year 2015 was for the Floating Doctors. I would like to update everyone with the progress our dental program has made and share a few stories of the past year. Our work and development would not have been […]
Floating Doctors Goes Dental!
In the early months of 2015, Floating Doctors added another paddle to its ever-expanding Cayuco (wooden canoe) by launching its dental programme in tandem with the flourishing mobile medical clinics. It has always been the dream of Ben LaBrot, the founder of Floating Doctors, to have a long-term dentist join the crew. The need for […]
For Want of a Nail…
Coming home from the jungle and the mangroves at the end of the year is a lot like coming back to the dock after a long voyage. We see our family and friends (and a hot shower is available everywhere…what luxury), and it is time to take stock of the trip and look ahead to […]
Lessons Learned in Caring
It is difficult to explain the transformation that happens while you volunteer with the Floating Doctors. For the group of us nine medical students there were six months of planning, coordinating, and fundraising topped off with much anticipation and excitement. Our goal was to teach local providers working with the Floating Doctors how to screen […]
The Beat of a Heart
In biological terms, the heart is a muscle, a pump moving the vital materials of our blood throughout the body. It beats about 3 billion times during the average lifetime. The heart, with its constant function and immense bodily responsibility, allows us to live. The heart is also described in psychological terms, a broken heart, […]
Thankful for so Many Things- A Message from CEO, Sky LaBrot
When I left Los Angeles for Floating Doctors I was 27 years old. It was a rainy LA early morning. The streets were dark, empty, and glistening as my dad drove me to LAX. We spoke in short spurts…most of that ride was filled with a silent apprehension, both of us knowing deep down that […]
A different kind of surgery
As if partaking in a 4 day jungle clinic, searching the jungle for a girl with cleft palate, and showering in the river weren’t exciting enough, I had the privilege to partake in canine facial surgery. We stumbled upon an older black dog with a huge mass around it’s eye on our way back from […]
Playa Verde Clinic Opening
In a small jungle clearing on the Caribbean coast of north western Panama, a group of indigenous Ngäbe Indians in their finest traditional dress and an equally proud group of foreigners, with stethoscopes dangling around their necks, gathered to celebrate a landmark event: the opening of Floating Doctors first remote outpost clinic. It began as […]
Every life is special!
2/22/14 Mending Kids International (MKI) was starting our second day of medical clinics with Floating Doctors (FD) in Salt Creek Panama, a remote island in the Bora Del Toro archipelago. The first arrival was seen at intake by Dr. Kate Porter a phenomenal volunteer tropical medicine doctor working with the Floating Doctors this year. The […]