OCHO RIOS, Jamaica – The Issa Trust Foundation, a non-profit organization formed by Couples Resorts to help Jamaican citizens and communities in need, has just completed their second successful medical mission.
A team of 15 volunteer doctors and nurses from the Blank Children’s Hospital in Des Moines, Iowa, traveled to Jamaica and spent six days holding clinics throughout Ocho Rios to provide medical treatment.
Dr. Stephen Elliott and Diane Pollard, both board members of the Issa Trust Foundation, led the clinics, which began on Monday, September 11th at Islington Health Centre. The next day was spent at the Swift Purcell Boys Home, followed by a day at the Retreat Health Centre and then two days at Annotto Bay Health Centre. The volunteer team then spent Saturday, September 16th providing medical assistance to Couples Resorts’ staff members and their families.
Blank Children’s Hospital once again worked diligently to raise funds and purchased over $40,000 worth of medicine and supplies for the mission. The UPS Store in Des Moines provided free shipping worth $10,000 to send the supplies to Jamaica. Additionally, during the visit to the Swift Purcell Boys Home there was a presentation of a $15,000 grant, donated by the Fraternal Order of Eagles thru the Issa Trust Foundation.
Couples Resorts Public Relations Director Alex Ghisays took part in last year’s medical mission and joined the group again this year. “Last year’s mission was such a success that I had high hopes for this year, and I was not disappointed.
The team of volunteers was phenomenal in their selfless efforts to help each and every person that came out seeking medical assistance. You could see the gratitude in the faces of those in need and I believe that was all the thanks these doctors and nurses needed. This group definitely made an impact on our towns – it really is amazing what a difference one person can make, and a group of people working together like this, well the effect was certainly felt. My hopes were not only met, but surpassed.”
Blank Children’s Hospital is an 88-bed facility that continues to expand to provide the most complete medical care to children across Iowa. Currently, Blank Children’s features more than 60 pediatric specialists uniquely skilled in providing medical care to children with more than 150 primary care doctors, including pediatricians and family practice physicians.
The Fraternal Order of Eagles, an international non-profit organization, unites fraternally in the spirit of liberty, truth, justice, and equality, to make human life more desirable by lessening its ills, and by promoting peace, prosperity, gladness and hope. They are an international group of 1.2 million members in 1,700 cities in the U.S. and Canada that give US$10M each year to charity.
The Issa Trust Foundation was established in 2005 and strives to provide a system of prevention, health promotion and education, community health improvement and other services to promote wellbeing and development to Jamaican communities. The organization honors the Issa family – leaders in Jamaican tourism and founders and owners of Couples Resorts. Issa Trust Foundation is a non-profit 501(c)(3) corporation, and donations are therefore tax deductible in the United States.
Couples Resorts’ Senior Vice President of Sales and Marketing, Randy Russell, serves as the organization’s chairman. Annette Cavanaugh is the vice-chair, Diane Pollard is vice president, Dr. Stephen Elliott is Medical Director, and Couples Resorts’ Director of Marketing, Melissa Trench, is the foundation’s secretary.
