The non-profit Canvasback Missions, founded by Jamie and Jacque Spence, brings teams of volunteer doctors and other medical professionals to the Marshall Islands every year, and sometimes twice. The teams provide specialty care such as ENT, Ophthalmology, Gynecology, Orthopedic, and Colonoscopy clinics.
Canvasback also runs the full time Wellness Center, located next to the Majuro hospital, which provides education and healthy meals daily to counteract the Micronesian epidemic of diabetes and other diet-related diseases.
A Canadian cruiser was rushed to Majuro Hospital to have surgery on his ear following an accident with a halyard at sea. Follows is the article that appeared in the Marshall Islands Journal dated Friday, August 24, 2012:
Yokwe net and Dr. Kim help injured yachtie
A doctor with the visiting Canvasback medical team provided emergency assistance to the crew of a yacht Tuesday morning via the Mieco Beach Yacht Club’s daily radioj ‘Yokwe Net.’ The yacht was approximately 150 nautical miles northeast of Majuro at 7:45am when the crew of Rinklebum responded during the ‘emergency’ portion of the net, which broadcasts on 6.236 upper side band. A crew member told the net controllers that his partner had blood coming his ear and that his head hurt. The controllers immediately contacted Canvasback team leader Jacque Spence who passed her cell phone to Dr. John Kim. The ensuing relay of information made it apparent that the injured person was in no immediate danger, but the doctor recommended subsequent conversations with the vessel as it approached Majuro to make sure the patient was stable. Rinklebum’s crew of two (Mark Chapplow and Anthony Ivory) had previously checked in with the Yokwe Net, letting the controllers know that they were voyaging from Kibibati to Canada and did not intend to check into the Marshall Islands. “We have changed course for Majuro,” Anthony said on the net Tuesday. The yacht was expected to arrive Thursday afternoon.
Footnote: Customs and Immigration did a great job of clearing in the crew of Rinklebum, allowing Cary of yacht Seal to take Mark, the injured crew member, straight to the hospital, while Karen stayed behind with Anthony to do the formalities. On arrival at the hospital, there was a short wait after doing the relevant paperwork and then Mark was on the operating table with a doctor the nurse described as being “America’s best plastic surgeon.” The nurse said that Mark’s ear ‘had nearly fallen off’ and that it may not have been saved without the good work of Anthony (who bandaged the wound) and the fact we got him to the hospital so quickly. The yacht arrived in downtown Majuro just after 5pm. By 8pm, the crew were back at Shoreline enjoying a beer with Cary and Karen!
