951 NW 13th St.3E Boca Raton, FL 33486 (561) 864-0298 info@bicolclinic.org

Volunteer: Sydney Stargatt

Volunteer

Bicol Clinic Foundation, Inc.
Philippines, 2011

Before our mission trip to the Philippines, I had never experienced what it meant to be in a third world country. I read books and watched documentaries on the Philippines, but nothing can truly depict the incredible kind, openhearted, and gracious people of this beautiful country. It was a life changing experience that I hold close to my heart, and I find myself reminiscing about my time spent there at some point every day. I don't think I will ever have an opportunity like this again in my lifetime.

With no medical experience, Dr. Schuster and the medical students opened their arms to me with acceptance and encouragement when I volunteered in the clinic. For them, any extra hands were useful and we worked together, bonded by one underlying purpose - to help the people of this country in any way possible. Resources were limited, but no patient was turned away. It was a bittersweet feeling, knowing that we were doing anything in our means to help, but also a feeling of tremendous guilt that we couldn't give enough. The vast differences between our lifestyles are unfathomable, and the tremendous struggle that some of these patients went through to stay alive has completely changed my outlook on life. While we saw a lot of sickness and disease in the clinic, sorrow and depression are not words to describe the people of this country. The Filipinos I met were some of the happiest, most generous and warm people I have ever met. It was a blessing to be able to live in their country for three weeks, and they were so grateful that we were there to learn and appreciate their beautiful home.

Because some of the volunteers did not have much medical experience, we found our presence would be of better use at the local elementary schools. We spoke with the administration at two different schools and they happily allowed us to set up after-school volleyball and soccer camps. In addition, we gave public health and leadership lessons to some of the older classes. The children were all very hard working and dedicated to their education. Some were shy at first, but after they opened up, I saw some of the most energetic and appreciative faces I have seen in a long time. We donated the equipment and some dental-hygiene supplies after our visits, and the kids rejoiced around us with such emotion - I could not hold back the tears myself when we left.

While I have countless memories in the Philippines, I can in no way compare one experience to another, for every day was a new adventure. However, I left a piece of myself there when one of Jen Schuster's Aunts named her beautiful newborn baby girl after me. I have never felt more honored in my life, and it made it quite difficult to leave for home in the US. But now I have an excuse to return as soon as possible.

The Bicol Clinic Foundation and the Schuster family are truly heroes in my eyes. They bend over backwards looking for means to continue the work they do in the Philippines and other third world countries. Not only do they provide help to people in need of medical assistance. They openly and graciously provided me with the opportunity to join them in the fight for their cause - a truly powerful and life changing opportunity that I will never forget.

Sydney Stargatt
Tulane University
Volunteer

Want To Join Our Team?

BCF has dispatched more than 150 medical students, in addition to dozens of American and foreign physicians and nurses, to provide care to more than 75,000 patients in the Philippines, Nepal and Haiti, many of whom had never before seen a physician. Our team members also volunteer in orphanages and schools to extend health care to other aspects of life. We’d love for you to be Part of the Start!

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The application and all additional requirements MUST BE SUBMITTED BY January 21 , 2020.

Bicol Clinic Foundation, Inc.
Philippines, 2008

Traveling to the Philippines with the Bicol Clinic foundation was one of the most amazing, and rewarding, experience of my life. I had the opportunity to work both in the clinic and in the community with the public health team. Working in the schools was great because the children were excited to learn. We used interactive programs to teach them about sanitation and first aid. The best part was that our message seemed to spread; kids would take home what they had learned and teach their parents and siblings. I think one of the most important aspects of the trip was that we were not only working in the community, but living it. The volunteers had the chance to get to know the Filipino people. We interacted with locals on a daily basis; through these experiences we built relationships in the community. It helped me to better understand the conditions that people in the Bicol region, and impoverished people around the world, face. The impact that was made within the community through clinical aid and public outreach amazed me. We had the chance to reach out into the community through so many mediums: clinics in Buena Vista, Bulan, and the Sorsogon Prison, beach clean-ups, school visits, and even block parties. I was amazed by the clinic-while it looks simple, it has the greatest impact. By the end of the month the wait list to get in the clinic was 600 patients. People traveled 5 or 6 hours just to see the doctors, or arrived at the click at 5 in the morning in hopes of receiving care. The Bicol Medical Clinic provides much needed care for the community, and for some the only medical care they will receive all year. The need for care is overwhelming. As I would walk to the clinic in the morning people would show me their babies and ask for help or while working in the pharmacy people would gather around the windows hoping to get medicine if they couldn't see the doctor. Not being able to help these people was a horrible feeling, but unfortunately I'm just a college student not a doctor.

Working with the Bicol Clinic Foundation has greatly influenced my life, even upon returning to the United States. I am currently studying International Development, because after seeing the marginalized environment that many in the region live in, I realized how organizations like BCF are. I also was inspired to pursue an internship with Save the Children because of my time in the Philippines. It is so important to have humanitarian and aid agencies to help those in need, and I believe that the Bicol Clinic Foundation has made a profound impact on the community it serves. I hope to one day return to the Philippines, to work in the clinic, revisit the schools, see the children and be able to help with this wonderful cause.

Alix Bronner
Tulane University
Volunteer

Alix Bronner

2008 View Alix' s testimonial