Aeromedicos of Santa Barbara
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Volunteer Medical and Dental Missions to Mexico

Aeronotes • Summer • 2009

2008/09 Year in Review

July, 2008: Aeromédicos’ first, fabulous Sunset/Moonrise Coastal Cruise on the Channel Cat. Thanks to all, donors and sailors. We had a wonderful time and were able to start the season with the means to help more people. Look for the second Sunset/Moonrise cruise in July 2010.

August: Aeromédicos was involved in helping a young San Juanico boy, Brandon. Brandon had a birth defect that necessitated an immediate colostomy. Nothing had been done for him for many years.

September: An extraordinary effort by Aeromédicos and their many contacts enabled Brandon and his mother to be flown to Tijuana where surgery was completed successfully at the Hospital Sagrado Corazon. Follow-up surgery will be needed in 2009.

October: Is the usual start of the Aeromédicos’ season in Cadeje. However, Hurricane Norbert blew into Southern Baja the week of our first scheduled trip. Fortunately, Mulege and Cadeje were spared significant damage.

November: We were ready to go when the trip once again had to be cancelled because of bad weather in Baja.

December: This trip was extra special, not only as the start of the season (finally), but we all stayed in San Juanico and were treated to wonderful meals at the homes of Idel Meza and Angel Aguilar. Both of these men have been treated to vital facial reconstructive surgery by Aeromédicos and Fresh Start Surgical Gifts. It was a pleasure to have Amanda Grossman, M.D. and Asa Morton, M.D. from San Diego join us, as they were the surgeons for Idel and Angel.

January, 2009: A super busy medical clinic and as always the dental side treated a steady stream of grateful people. Stu MacPherson performed six root canals and Dick Klein started 18 new denture/plate treatments as well as delivering many finished cases.

February: Late trip cancellation due to bad weather.

March: The annual whale watch was disappointing for those who flew down on Thursday but amazing for the lucky few on Friday. March clinics are always busy but this set new records on number of patients treated. Three M.D.s, two nurse practitioners, two R.N.s, two E.M.T.s saw more than 45 patients. Five dentists and their support crew helped more than 90 patients, most with multiple treatments. We continue to improve the check-in process.

April: No planes were able to fly from the U.S.A., as the temporary permit to land was not issued until the day before we were due to leave. David Rose, M.D. and Dick Klein, D.D.S. were able to fly in from Mulege and conduct a mini clinic.

May/June: Cancelled trips due to no permit to land.

July: Celebrate! We now have a five year permit to land after an exhausting, frustrating, expensive, time-consuming process. Thank you to those who made it possible. Three planes, filled with dedicated volunteers, left balmy Santa Barbara to make up for cancelled clinics in May and June. Fortunately, we were not overwhelmed and were able to treat all who came, including some of the young men from the military camp near the airport on the road to San Juanico. Sufficient medications were left for patients to use until we return in October.

August: A 14 year old girl with many eye problems was seen by Asa Morton at our December clinic. He successfully removed a mass that had been growing on her eyelid. She is now in need of more serious extensive surgery to alleviate her congenital glaucoma. She was evaluated by Dr. Morton and his partner recently in San Diego. Fresh Start Surgical Gifts has asked Aeromédicos to team with them to help this young teen from San Juanico.

NOTE: There is a new requirement that pilots complete and submit a form to Homeland Security prior to leaving the USA. We will need passport numbers and additional information on the sign-up and consent forms. Current valid passports are required.

WIZARD OF SMILES

Dick Klein
Kudos to Dick Klein
.
With his gentle manner and endless patience, Dick Klein has brought smiles to hundreds of grateful people in Cadeje and surrounding ranches. One of my favorites is the elderly gentleman who had not had any teeth for more than 40 years. When fitted with the beautiful full dentures created by Dick, he was indeed “muy guapo.”

SPECIAL THANKS

We are very fortunate to be able to rely on Bill McDonald from Federal Drug in Santa Barbara. He tirelessly fills all of our pharmaceutical needs and works closely with Marilynn Enns to make sure the clinics are well supplied.

Donate and Help

Aeromédicos has no paid staff. Everyone is a volunteer. Our only non clinical expenses are the newsletter and the Cadeje runway maintenance.

This year, more than ever, we need your contributions to continue our work with the people of this remote area of Baja.


 

Thanks for your support.

The Board of Aeromédicos

John Derrick John Grube DDS Ross Rankin
Jim Gaskin Frank Heintz Melodi Willis
Bdob Gayou MD Eric McFarland MD Marilyn Zellet

Your contribution is so important.
Please send a Donation tothe address below.
Help
make our goals become a reality!

 AEROMEDICOS
P.O. Box 538
Goleta  CA 93116

Special thanks to those who helped with donations this year!

Reuben Andrews
Carol & Mounir Ashamalla

Deborah & Louis Beacham
Beth & Carl Birkholm
CW Bryant
Kathleen & Paul Bryant
Lions Club Carpinteria
Brad Chemlka
Darlene & Sam Chirman
Larry Cochran
Rosario & Brian Coryat
Michael Crookston

Stella & Tom Cullen

Joanne Dierdorff
Lisa Derrick

Kristina Deutsch

Silvio Di Loreto

Michael Doherty

Chrissie England

Constance McCornmick Fearing

Judy Fessendon

Steve Garner
Jim Gaskin
Luisa & Bob Gayou

John Goerke
Jeffrey Goldman

Lions Club Goleta
Alison Grube

Susan & John Grube
Amy & Jim Heintz

Frank Heintz
Sharon & Ed Hennings
Claudia Herzog

Kathryn & Josef Holicky
Kevin Hutton

Wines by Imagine

Mark King
Joanne & Richard Klein

Peter Lewis

Roni & Stu MacPherson
Madonna & Dan McKinnon
Kevin McNally

Barbara & Glen Mitchell

Renato Moiso
Bob Morrison

Devon Nielsen

Kathy Ogden

Lindee & Ross Rankin
Margaret Ricks

Heidi & Marshall Rose

Arent Schuyler

Jean & Barry Schuyler

Ann & Harris Seed

Dwight Shaneyfelt
J
ohn Thacher
Vivian Wuerth Thomas

Teresa & Peter Yinger

Karyn Yule
Marilyn Zellet

Federal Drug

Holdren’s Restaurant
Lutheran Good Samaritan Society
Shoreline Ventures, Inc.
Stratman Aviation

Volunteer of the Year

Marilyn EnnsMarilynn Enns is our volunteer of the year.

Medical clinic coordinator. Medication supply expert. Cadeje pharmacy specialist. Wonderful friend. Marilynn Enns not only keeps everything running smoothly and efficiently on the medical/ pharmaceutical side, she keeps everyone in fine good humor. Laughter is indeed a potent medicine. Thank you Marilynn even though I come back from trips with a sore chest from laughing too hard!!
You are our wonderful Volunteer of the Year.

OUR HEROES: Those of you who volunteer for Aeromédicos are an amazing, special group. We can never even begin to tell you how very much you are appreciated!
IN MEMORIAM: Dale Dixon, Billy Bryant, Dick Roeder

Trip Dates

MARK YOUR CALENDARS!!!

Remaining trip dates for 2009 are:

October 9-11, November 13-15 and December 11-13

2010 trip dates are:

January 8-10, February 12-14, March 11-14 (whale watching), April 9-11, May 14-16, and June 11-13

Map of Baja
Photo Gallery

Dentistas

Don, ¡Explique!

Cadeje Kids.
Doctora Explains - Lisa Babaschoff.
Doctora Explains - Lisa
Babaschoff.

2008-2009 Volunteers

Craig Arcuri Kari Arcuri

Eustacio Aguilar

Bobbi Balderman

Barbara Bentley

Bobbie Bliss

Heather Bliss

Tiffany Bliss

Sarah Bridge

Nancy Callahan

Cindy Campbell

Peter Carl

Michael Carley

Teresita Carmello

J.C. Cates

Larry Cochran

Myra Cochran

Peter Conway

Marilynn Enns

Val Eurman

Jim Gaskin

Robin Gauss

Bob Gayou

Harkinan Gill

Maddie Goodman

Wendy Goodman

Amanda Gosman

Sharon Granoff

Alison Grube

John Grube

Susan Grube

Frank Heintz

Patsi Hodges

Cindy Hoffman

Margo Kenney

Ted Kenney

Dick Klein

Lydia Ladah

Roni MacPherson

Stu MacPherson

Eric McFarland

Carissa Meyer

Mina Mikhael

Kevin Miller

Chuck Moggia

Asa Morton

Debbie Murphy

Mike Nizic

Bob Nussbaum

Barbara Powers

Bobby Powers

Terry Rahc

Leo Ramsey

Lyndee Rankin

Ross Rankin

Bonnie Rettgers

Yvonne Rochonne

David Rose

Bonnie Rosen

Mark Rosen

Bob Ruby

Elwood Schapansky

Karen Schapansky

Jim Scheib

Dale Smith

Deborah Turtorro

John Vallee

Angela Van Brulle

Blaize Van Brulle

Elizabeth Vansteenwyck

Vera Villa Real

Debbie Weinstein

Jenna Wells

Melodi Willis

Pat Wilson

Nick Withem

Karyn Yule

Donn Zellet

Marilyn Zellet

Cadeje Clinic Day
Cadeje clinic day.

Hurricane Jimena

Hurricane Jimena came up from off the tip of Baja to land as a Category 3 Hurricane on September 1 and gyrated thru the center of Baja over a three day period. The center of Jimena, now down to a Catergory 1 Hurricane, passed very close to our clinic in Cadeje, then went eastward to flood Mulege for the third time in 5 years. This flood was the worst of the last three storms.

As this pen is put to paper, a relief effort is being organized which includes Aeromédicos, the Baja Bush Pilots, Direct Relief and Mexican organizations. Your donations will help in the relief effort as well as our year long clinic. Your generosity will be put to good use. Thanks.

Jimena damage 1
Jimena damage 2

Save the Date! - Annual BBQ & Ore-Season Meeting

Bring a friend, sign up for future trips, renew your annual membership and have a wonderful time.

Tri-tip, chicken, salads, beans, all the trimmings, dessert, wine, beer & soft drinks. Price is $15.

Location: Nancy & Robin’s Ranch

Date: Saturday afternoon, September 19th

Time: 3:00 p.m. (Barbecue served at 5:00 p.m.)

*Generator turned off at midnight.

Link to map and more information

AEROMEDICOS
P.O. Box 538
Goleta  CA 93116

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