Motivating Orthopaedic Volunteers and Donations

Recently Catalyst Studios produced "Free to Move", a Mercy Ships video that reveals the hospital conditions in Central America, focusing on the need for increased orthopaedic care.

Mercy Ships delivers free healthcare services to the poor through a fleet of hospital ships. Since 1978, Mercy Ships has performed more than 2 million services, with a value of 250 million dollars, and impacted over 5.5 million people.

Every year, Mercy Ships sends an Orthopaedic team of volunteer surgeons, nurses, and support staff to hospitals in Central America and the Caribbean. For weeks the teams work in local hospitals, providing specialized orthopaedic surgeries, as well as delivering medical supplies, training, and simple compassion.

Juan’s Story
The bullet lodged in Juan’s arm, just above the elbow. After being mugged and shot, Juan ran for almost an hour to get to San Pedro Sula’s only public hospital. He arrived to an overcrowded emergency room, and began waiting. Days later, he was sent home with only a clean bandage. The pain intensified and Juan came back to the hospital. Again, he waited and was sent home. In agony, he returned a third time. Despite the urgency of his condition, the hospital’s lack of staff and medical supplies delayed his treatment.

Eventually, a hospital bed became available, but by then the infection had spread. Four agonizing weeks after the attack, Juan’s infected arm had to be amputated.

In a city marked by gang violence and poverty, Juan’s story is common. Despite the dedication of hospital personnel, staff and equipment shortages leave many of the injured without adequate medical care.

Catalyst Studios created “Free to Move" to multiply Orthopaedic volunteers and medical donations, helping Mercy Ships expand their mission of bringing hope and healing to the poor.