Two-Week Volunteer Mission Benefits Nearly 800 Patients
Spring, 2006: In Honduras, one of the lowest-income countries in the Western Hemisphere, access to health care is severely limited. Which is why hundreds of local residents traveled by bicycle and on foot to the free clinic sponsored by the Hackett Hemwall Foundation in La Ceiba, Tela and Olanchito, Honduras.
Allan Magaziner, DO, of Cherry Hill, New Jersey, was one of 50 physicians selected to provide medical care and treatment for individuals who otherwise would not receive it. Based at the Red Cross Center in La Ceiba, Magaziner and his colleagues treated hundreds of patients suffering from chronic pain and arthritis with prolotherapy. Also known as ligament reconstructive therapy or sclerotherapy, prolotherapy is a recognized orthopedic procedure that stimulates the body's natural healing processes with targeted injections to strengthen joints weakened by trauma or arthritis. In many cases, a one-time treatment gives patients long-term relief.
“It was an enlightening experience,” said Magaziner. “The patients were so grateful and appreciative. Many traveled several hours and waited all day for treatment.” Most presented with chronic knee, shoulder, low back or ankle and foot pain, often induced by long hours working in agriculture. “I look forward to going back again next year. To be able to give to people who are less fortunate and to relieve their long-standing pain was something I’ll never forget,” said Magaziner.
