Mission Driven Partnership Brings Medical Services to Jamaica

In 2012, when Randy Pellew, ’14, MSN, DNP, MPH, FNP-C, CEN, was a student at Molloy, he went on his first trip with Molloy’s Jamaica Medical Mission, and it changed his life.  

Recently speaking about that initial trip, Dr. Pellew said, "I was taken aback because I grew up in Guyana where the living situation and healthcare is similar to Jamaica, so I felt an immediate connection. I just couldn’t ignore the thousands of people in these areas who miss out on important medical treatment because it's too expensive or not available locally. Right then, the calling I'd always felt toward performing service got so much stronger. I knew I wanted to dedicate my life to it." 

And so, he has. Dr. Pellew volunteered for the Mission two more times as a student and continued to volunteer even after he graduated. He is now the Molloy University Jamaica Medical Mission Coordinator and is committed to overseeing the program for many more years to come. 

The Mission works in partnership with the Franciscan Ministries in Jamaica. It was initiated 23 years ago by Associate Dean, Dr. Denise Walsh. Faculty, physicians, nurse practitioners, nurses, clinical mental health counselors, speech language pathologists and students collaborate with the Ministry of Health in Jamaica. Together they set up clinics to promote and share valuable health and wellness resources through health screenings and by diagnosing and treating multiple tropical and chronic diseases. This primary care team educates patients on how to take control of their health, while also distributing medications and supplies free of charge during thousands of patient encounters. 

The Mission now operates twice per year and has expanded to 14 communities, both in the city and rural areas. The plan is to expand it further into every community in need within the next two to three years. In the most recent trip from October 8th to the 16th, the care team treated over 500 patients. The partnership even includes a psychiatric mental health program. The mental health group works with girls ages 12-18 who are deemed in need of care and protection and psychiatric mental health support. Additionally, the Communication Sciences and Disorders team, headed by Associate Dean Susan Alimonti, evaluates and identifies speech and hearing disorders. They provide teachings and trainings and offer referrals.

The Mission's objective is to not only extend access and free quality health services to diverse, low income or underserved populations, but it is also to educate and empower residents to take control of their own health. Dr. Pellew described a recent home visit in which a patient was treating an ulcer on his leg with herbs. Though the patient had already developed gangrene, the care team was able to save his leg. The man had extremely high blood pressure and high blood glucose and said that, until then, he'd had no knowledge of diabetes or the ulcers it could cause.

Describing another situation in one highly polluted community, Dr. Pellew said, "Due to all of the pollution, the people suffered from emphysema and other respiratory diseases. The care team treated their conditions, left them with medications and instructed them on how to properly dispose of their garbage so that they didn’t continue to burn it." 

An important part of the Mission is to make sure that the residents have ongoing access to resources. In between Mission visits, residents are still able to seek help from the Sisters at the Immaculate Conception Convent of the Franciscan Ministries, who then refer them to local health clinics or the Kingston Public Hospital, under the guidance of Molloy faculty. Also, due to generous donations from the Catholic Medical Mission Board, the Mission is able to leave 3 to 6 months’ worth of medications for patients, as well as other valuable commodities, such as wound dressings, diabetic testing kits, blood pressure machines, urine dip sticks, sanitizer, vitamins and reading glasses. The care team also spends an enormous amount of time performing “well checks” and educating residents about diet and exercise so that the people can take ownership of their own health.

Speaking about the experience, Dr. Pellew said, "People are so welcoming. They’re so grateful for the care. During one visit where there was a problem opening up one of the clinics, a resident opened her home for us instead. She allowed us to set up a tent in her yard so that we could treat patients right there."

But the Mission doesn’t only serve local Jamaicans; it serves Molloy faculty and students as well. Additional objectives are to enhance the cultural sensitivity and professional skills of students by creating a “culture of caring” and empathy for others through real-world, hands-on experiences. Furthermore, the Mission seeks to engage students in team problem solving and the development of creative solutions to meet the challenges of providing quality health services to individuals, populations or communities with limited or no resources.

As a result of the Mission, Molloy students have a better understanding of global health and the challenges vulnerable populations face. Many students have said that participating in the Mission has been a life-changing experience for them. 

Dr. Pellew concluded, "We’re grateful that Molloy University stands on the Dominican pillars that uphold community and service. This is something that we are continually weaving into the pedagogy. When I first began the Mission as a graduate student, I recalled the words of Pablo Picasso: 'The meaning of life is to find your gift. The purpose of life is to give it away.’  Here I realized how much I can give back to humanity, with the wealth of resources available and the skills I now possess as a family nurse practitioner trained at Molloy. Our care team has planted a seed of hope, reassuring this vulnerable population that they too can access good health care and take charge of their own health.”