07/20/09
The village-testing phase by the team of five former Samoan Peace Corps Volunteers (2000-2002) and four of their wives is finished. The team was headed by Christian Small and Shawn Barnes, both of whom are now medical students at the University of Hawaii and fluent in Samoan. The team tested more than 1,000 Samoans over 40 years old at nine sites on Savaii for cataracts, glaucoma, giving out sunglasses to all, and standard reading glasses. They sent those with cataract problems to be operated on by an eye surgeon joining the team today at Tuasivi Hospital. The program was free, paid for with donations from the U.S.A.
I was able to join their adventure and with the assistance of most of the current Savaii Peace Corps Volunteers was able to test 544 people at seven of their sites. In the process the current volunteers were trained and gained the experience to continue blood testing and weight reduction programs in their own villages over the coming year.
Here are some photos to give recognition to those Peace Corps Volunteers, current and alumns, and their wives who gave so much to help the people on the island of Savaii, Samoa.
Inez Paul (Blair Paul’s wife) interviewing for eye testing
Ben Harding (78) explaining in Samoan diet issues
Jenny Koch (80) and Spencer Narron (80) testing blood
Alisia Small (Chris Small's wife) & Trent Lobdell (80) testing
Taylor McFarlane (Phil's friend), Rosie Wong (79), Phil Owen (81), Anthony Della Posta (81) testing
Alisia Small and Nick Shuraleff (78) testing blood
Glodynne Wong Song , Iva resident, taking info for blood testing
Soupy Tauthong (81) testing near-sightedness
Ryan Keogh (P.C. Alum) testing for nearsightedness
Briony Donahue (80) testing for farsightedness
Roselina Kapeli, from my Iva host family, testing her mother Saloti
Rosie Wong (79) and Jim Metz (80) checking for cataracts
Shawn Wilson (P.C. Alum) and Crissy Keogh (Ryan’s wife) dispensing eye drops
Blair Paul (P.C. Alum) , Crissy Keogh, and Otila Wilson (Shawn Wilson's wife) dispensing glasses
Shawn Barnes, (P.C. Alum) pencil in ear, Crissy, and Ryan Keogh with Christian Small ((P.C. Alum, unseen) in booth with blinds doing retinal testing
Chow time in Iva, the last stop.
Chris Small (P.C. Alum) doing cataract surgury at Tuasivi Hospital
Ben Griffin (80), just looking good, with Trent Lobdell (80)