All aboard took on a whole new meaning for Jere Mammino, D.O., on his latest medical mission to Manaus, Brazil.
Manaus, Brazil. (May 21, 2013) - That's because it was a floating clinic. The new 120 x 40 foot boat, which was built by the Central Brazilian Mission, traveled down river making medical stops in villages with such names as Paraiso (Paradise), Sol Nascente (The Rising Sun), and Divino (Divine) along the way. In addition to medical and dental offices, a well-stocked pharmacy was housed on the first floor. Sleeping quarters as well as the dining and meeting hall were on the second floor. Being on this particular boat was actually nicer than staying in accommodations on land, Dr. Mammino said, because the rooms were air conditioned. "The rooms were comfortable and clean, and this is the first trip where I had air conditioning in my room," he said, adding, "It can get very hot in the Amazon." Although the rooms were equipped with showers, many opted to swim in the river for bathing. Of course, they didn't swim too close to the shore to avoid the anacondas.
The team consisted of 11 individuals from across the country. Dr. Mammino and a retired family practice physician were the only doctors on the two-week mission that took place last September. Other team members included a dentist, nurses, and spouses. In fact, Dr. Mammino's wife, Wendy, was one of the spouses who helped out by taking vital signs, fitting people for reading glasses, and assisting the dentist with procedures.
Dr. Mammino treated people for common conditions, such as low back pain, gastroesophageal reflux disease, stomach ulcers, urinary tract infections, and upper respiratory infections. But there was also the occasional malaria and polio. "I had to blow the dust off my stethoscope," said Dr. Mammino, who practiced family medicine for three years before specializing in dermatology. He not only has a familiarity with general medicine, but going on one to two medical missions a year helps him keep up those skills.
Dr. Mammino also saw his fair share of dermatology cases. There were the usual skin infections, impetigo, fungus infections, chicken pox, and eczema. "I see common skin conditions but because they go untreated, they are more extensive than what I see back home," he said. Luckily, Dr. Mammino came prepared with a lot of samples and supplies of various dermatological creams. The people there don't have good access to medical care, so he can help them treat their condition, at least temporarily, and then educate them about keeping the condition from worsening. For example, Dr. Mammino advised patients to avoid using soaps too often and to use petroleum jelly, which is inexpensive and easy to get, to moisturize and calm certain skin conditions.
The most unusual case he came across was a piranha bite. A 16-year-old boy, who had been fishing, pulled out a piranha that was caught in the net with the other fish. The piranha bit the tip of his finger off. Dr. Mammino treated the large wound. There also was the patient who was stung by a stingray on the foot. Because it had happened within 24 hours, the area was only mildly swollen and the patient was sent home with ibuprofen and asked to return in a few days for follow-up.
He usually sees a lot of patients with diseases related to a lack of proper nutrition, but in the Amazon people are actually well fed, Dr. Mammino said. "The river is full of fish and the jungle has fruits and berries." But there was a fair amount of people with intestinal parasites from not boiling the water before drinking it. Nearly everyone who came for a visit left with medication to kill parasites.
As they traveled from village to village, the team treated more than 500 people in total. In what little spare time he had, Dr. Mammino explored the villages and talked to the locals, through a translator as he does not speak Portuguese. He saw a variety of beautiful birds, including macaws, green parrots, and toucans. There were a lot of monkeys, as well.
Participating in medical missions has allowed Dr. Mammino to help others and, in the process, travel to parts of the world to which he might never have gone. "I get to see how people actually live, not just the tourist sites," he said. Dr. Mammino was surprised how happy the people are despite them having so little in comparison to what people have in this country. As an example, most villages lacked electricity and don't have generators. Those that did have a generator ran it only one to two hours in the evening because gasoline is so expensive. "People have their basic needs met and they are very happy and pleasant," he said. "It just goes to show that you can be happy with whatever lot in life you have."
Dr. Mammino maintains that he benefits more than those he sets out to help. "I come back realizing that we don't need a lot of stuff we have," he said. "We can get by with a lot less and still be happy."
Although Dr. Mammino was apprehensive before going on his first mission in 2001 largely because he had practiced dermatology for so many years he was uncertain that his general medicine knowledge and skills would return. Dr. Mammino also was concerned that he wouldn't be able to recognize unusual or tropical diseases. "I forced myself to do it and I'm so glad that I did because it opened up a new world for me," said Dr. Mammino, who has gone on 15 medical missions to Central and South America and Africa, to date. This January, he will be going to Myanmar, his first mission to Southeast Asia. He encourages others to come along. "If you've been thinking about it, stop thinking and start doing," he said.
This article was reprinted with permission by the American Osteopathic College of Dermatology
Ernst & Young announces Entrepreneur Of The Year® 2013 finalists in Florida. Congratulations to finalist Dr. Matt Leavitt!
Tampa, Florida. - (May 14, 2013) - Ernst & Young LLP today announced the finalists for the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of The Year 2013 Award in Florida. Award recipients will be announced at a special gala event on Thursday, June 13 at the Fontainebleau in Miami Beach. "These finalists were selected from nearly 80 nominations by a panel of independent judges," says Greg Rosica, Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of The Year Florida program partner.
"Collectively, these finalists grew their employment by 18 percent and their revenues by nearly 36 percent between 2010 and 2012." Rosica adds that this award program recognizes high-growth entrepreneurs who demonstrate excellence and extraordinary success in such areas as innovation, financial performance and personal commitment to their businesses and communities. Following are Florida finalists:
Central Florida:
- Emerging category - William "Glenn" Durie, vice president-engineering and cofounder; Andrew Uribe, vice president-business development and cofounder; Michael Wright, president and cofounder, Power Grid Engineering, Winter Springs
- Financial Services category - Kenneth E. LaRoe, chairman and chief executive officer, First Green Bank, Mount Dora
- Health Care category - Matt Leavitt, DO, founder and chief executive officer, Advanced Dermatology & Cosmetic Surgery, Maitland
- Health Care category - Mark Montgomery, president and chief executive officer, Axium Healthcare Pharmacy, Inc., Lake Mary
- Health Care category - Stephen C. Vogt, chief executive officer, BioPlus Specialty Pharmacy Services, Inc., Altamonte Springs
- Hospitality category - John Rivers, chef and chief executive officer, 4R Restaurant Group, Winter Park
South Florida:
- Distribution and Manufacturing category - Manuel R. Hernandez, president; Jorge L. Hernandez, Sr., vice president, Solo Printing, Inc., Miami
- Emerging category - Naomi Whittel, chief executive officer and founder, Reserveage Organics, Boca Raton
- Family Business category - Diego Valera, cofounder; Vanessa Valera Nolte, cofounder, Distrivalto USA, INC, Miami
- Family Business category - Richard Weissman, president, The Learning Experience, Boca Raton
- Financial Services category - Marc Glazer, president, chief executive officer and cofounder, Business Financial Services, Coral Springs
- Hospitality category - John Kunkel, chief executive officer and founder, 50 Eggs, Inc., Miami
- Retail and Consumer Products category - Mario Murgado, president and chief executive officer, Brickell Motors, Miami
- Retail and Consumer Products category - Matthew K. Smith, chief executive officer, Shoes For Crews, LLC, West Palm Beach
- Services category - Philip Anson, Jr., chief executive officer, STS Holdings., Inc. Jensen Beach
- Services category - Alberto Daire, president and cofounder; David Hernandez, chief executive officer and cofounder, Liberty Power, Fort Lauderdale
- Services category - Michael I. Kaufman, president and chief executive officer, Kaufman Lynn Construction, Boca Raton
West Central Florida:
- Distribution and Manufacturing category - Crystal Morris, president, Gator Cases, Inc., Lutz
- Distribution and Manufacturing category - R. Charles Murray, chief executive officer, PPi Technologies Group/Redi-2-DrinQ Group, Sarasota
- Emerging category - Michael Kosloske, president and chief executive officer, Health Insurance Innovations, Tampa
- Family Business category - Wayne Johnson, chief executive officer, Accuform Manufacturing, Inc., Brooksville
- Financial Services category - Trevor Burgess, chief executive officer, C1 Bank, Saint Petersburg
- Hospitality category - Enrique Silva, president and chief executive officer, Checkers Drive-In Restaurants, Inc., Tampa
- Retail and Consumer Products category - Norbert Donelly, chairman, Tervis, North Venice
- Technology category - Crystal Culbertson, chief executive officer, Crystal Clear Technologies, Saint Petersburg
- Technology category - Paul Demirdjian, chief executive officer, Jagged Peak, Tampa
- Technology category - Dan Doyle, Jr., president and chief executive officer, DEX Imaging, Tampa
Now in its 27th year, the Entrepreneur Of The Year Program has expanded globally to recognize company builders in more than 140 cities and 50 countries throughout the world. Regional award recipients go on to compete at the national level. Award recipients in several national categories, as well as the National Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of The Year overall ward winner, will be announced at the annual awards gala in Palm Springs, Calif., on Nov. 16, 2013. The awards are the culminating event of the Ernst & Young Strategic Growth Forum®, the nation's most prestigious gathering of high-growth, market-leading companies.
- Sponsors
- Founded and produced by Ernst & Young, the Entrepreneur Of The Year Awards are nationally sponsored by SAP America and the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation. Florida platinum sponsors include Carlton Fields, Fifth Third Bank, Tribridge and Vaco; silver sponsors RFB Communications Group and Scherzer International and media sponsor Smart Business Network.
- About Ernst & Young's Entrepreneur Of The Year
- Ernst & Young's Entrepreneur Of The Year is the world's most prestigious business award for entrepreneurs. The unique award recognizes the significant contributions of entrepreneurs who inspire others with their vision, leadership and achievement.
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