Pre- Pura Vida!

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Hello all!

I recently posted that I will be going to Mexico very shortly here, well, in addition to that, I'm also planning on going on another trip at the end of August. This trip will be another once-in-a-lifetime experience. For two weeks I will be spending time in Costa Rica and Nicaragua working with local doctors in remote villages to set up free mobile clinics, providing critical health care to those who live in poverty and are in need of health care. I won't be doing any surgeries or doing anything too crazy -I'm trying to help, NOT cause more problems 😊 Obviously, myself, and every other person on the trip, won't be administering any medications/ prescriptions without consulting with the doctor first!

This trip is not cheap -I will say that much. Yes I will probably be in debt, and yes it will suck having absolutely no money. However, this is an experience that will be incredibly life changing, and valuable. Don't regret tomorrow what you didn't do today. That is what I've been thinking through all of this; If I didn't go on this trip in August; decided to save up during the upcoming school year and go next summer, but for some reason was in an accident that didn't allow me to travel or god forbid I were to die, I would deeply regret not going on this trip.

There has been a lot that has taught me to not live in the future; yes it's good to make plans and have goals. However, you cannot rely on the future, for you know not what it holds. Do things today, plan for the here and now.



Not only will this trip benefit myself and help me to grow further and become an even more well-rounded person, it will also benefit many, many people in Costa Rica and Nicaragua. Just to put some numbers out there; a VIDA group from Toronto - I believe last year -went on the same trip for the same length and saw/helped roughly 700 patients. that's roughly 50 patients a day, a little more than double the average number of patients a doctor will see on any given day; and that is assuming that we will be working every single day that we will be there (which we won't be).

Part of the pre-departure work is fundraising as a group (and individually) to raise money in order to buy the supplies needed while we are down there, as well as buy medicine (various over-the-counter kinds such as Tylenol) to bring over. If anyone out there is a doctor that is willing to donate and help out, knows a doctor that would be willing to donate, or you, yourself are willing to donate to help myself raise funds in order to help feel free to contact myself directly through the messages/comments page here. You can also go to www.vidavolunteertravel.org --> Payments & Donations --> sponsor a volunteer --> enter Samantha Thibault as 'volunteer name' --> <strong style="line-height: 18px; color:񀇢 font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">CYCN081813 as 'trip code' -->enter your information into the 'sponsor' section. --> you have now made a difference!

For those of you who have donated, or have forwarded this to someone who would be interested in donating, thank you so, incredibly much! It truly means a lot!




Until next time!

Pura Vida




Samantha

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