MMM Welcome Video

MMM friends, we have a new video that introduces the MMM concept.  Click on the link below to view, please share and we truly appreciate your continued support.
http://youtu.be/klTmtA3kg6g
MMM Welcome Video

Montero Medical Missions would like to share the year's highlights.

As 2013 draws to a close, Montero Medical Missions would like to share the year's highlights:

* Hot off the press, MMM now has its own Shopping Portal, thanks to Dubli and the efforts of our board member, Dave Hall. Keeping up with the times, it allows anyone interested in our cause to Shop, Save and Support MMM through this search engine with cashback. Not too often do you find such an arrangement, where everyone wins. I therefore invite you to visit www.dubli.com/M040F and make things happen.

* The fully loaded 40 ft. container with donated hospital equipment and supplies, bound for MMM's newly adopted hospital, Adela Serra Ty Memorial Medical Center in Tandag, Surigao del Sur, Mindanao Philippines will sail Jan. 4, 2014 from Norfolk. Col. Jim Ireland,USA[R], expert logistician and MMM VP is instrumental in this endeavor, thus fulfilling his promise to the hospital personnel when we were there last July. This will then be followed with container[s] consigned to the Secretary of Health, Dr. Enrique Ona who will make the determination as to which of the 53 destroyed hospitals/clinics from super typhoon Haiyan/ Yolanda need the most help.

* Our final MMM fundraising social last Dec. 13th which was beautifully hosted by First Colonial Inn through its Marketing Director, Stacy Kenyon, a MMM board member, went very well. We feel that these on-going fundraisers continue to accomplish our goal of expanding MMM's base of friends, volunteers and supporters. The 'Final Fling' at the Monteros' Rural Retreat on Sept. 7th, Summer Bash at the Marina Shores Yacht Club on June 27th and the MASA-MMM Golf Tournament on April 8th at the Cypress Point Country Club, rounded up the fun, friendship-maker, fundraisers for the year. MMM looks forward to 2014 with gusto !

* On Dec. 6, 2013, MMM hosted a financially admirable fundraiser to benefit our Philippines Relief Efforts, thus helping the victims from the devastation of super typhoon Haiyan/Yolanda. With community oriented Towne Bank and Chesapeake Regional Medical Center as anchor sponsors plus the outpouring of support from the Vietnamese and Indian communities on top of Filipino organizations and American friends, we raised over $ 50,000.00 and almost evenly split between American Red Cross and Montero Medical Missions.

* On Oct. 9, 2013, MMM attained a monumental recognition, when the American College of Surgeons at its 100th Annual Clinical Congress in Washington,D.C. allowed our well-received poster format presentation of the innovative MMM Health Fair for Veterans project. This quarterly event to screen and assist veterans in their healthcare needs is MMM's domestic/in-country project, to compliment our three international sustainable healthcare projects: MMM Eyesight 20/20, MMM Prosthesis and MMM Dental Care.

* Our MMM Active board has been newly reconstituted with three new members and three outgoing ones, who kindly opted to stay on MMM Advisory board. Jan Baillie, RN, Rory Fitzpatrick and Sandeep Samudre, PhD inject new blood to MMM. We owe Chance Wilson, Cyndi Smith and Earl Virts, CRNA a tremendous debt of gratitude for their invaluable service and contributions during these past 2 1/2 formative years of MMM.

* How MMM, still without a salaried employee accomplished all of the above, speaks volumes of the volunteer efforts that our MMM Active 'blue collar' board members have done. The T.E.A.M.[Together Everyone Achieves More] slogan continues to resonate to our community volunteers, many of them peerless in their dogged determination. MMM salutes them all.

* In our pipeline for missions next year:

June or July, 2014 in Joinville, Brazil; Chesapeake's sister city.

July 25 till Aug. 3, 2014 in Irosin, Sorsogon, Philippines

Aug. 1 till Aug. 10, 2014 in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia

* Just a Reminder: Contributions to tax-exempt MMM can be made to celebrate a life event, to honor someone's accomplishments or to memorialize a loved one. Better yet, contribute and join a medical mission trip of your choice, with MMM.

* To donate go to: www. monteromedicalmissions.org, thru pay pal.

Montero Medical Missions Adopts Mindanao Hospital

Tuesday, July 23, 2013 was a red-letter day for the province of Surigao del Sur in the island of Mindanao, Philippines. Its capital city of Tandag was the venue for the official signing of the Memorandum of Agreement documents in the adoption of the provincial hospital, Adela Serra Ty Memorial Medical Center by Montero Medical Missions. It was attended by no less than the Secretary and Undersecretary of Health, Drs. Enrique'Ike' Ona and Teodoro'Ted' Herbosa respectively. This is the first hospital adopted under the  auspices and control of the Department of Health, not the provincial government. There were 20 co-signatories, including six from Virginia: Montero Medical Missions, American Orthotic and Prosthetic Center, Beach Eye Care, Virginia Center for Eye Surgery, Community United Methodist Church, Philippine Medical Association of Southeastern Virginia.

This event was in concurrence with the three-day eyesight medical mission trip of MMM, led by our MMM Eyesight Programs Chairman, Virginia Beach-based ophthalmologist Peyton Neatrour,MD and participated by humanitarian ophthalmologists from neighboring provinces, namely: Drs. Joseph Custodio, Leonel Santos, Ed Tan, Matt Baruc and Noel Chua from Manila who is Chairman of the National Committee for Sight Preservation. 100 surgeries were performed and mainly cataract operations. There were 600 patients screened, refracted and given eyeglasses by optometrists, led by Dr. Chris Buniel, our Director of MMM Eyesight 20/20 Project. He was joined in by colleagues; Drs. Lance Buniel, Belinda Daus, Jonathan Dango and Ma.Teresa Cordovez.The Neatrour children joined by their church youth pastor Steve Watson, screened 400 patients for diabetes as they did two years ago with support from Eastern Virginia Medical School Strelitz Diabetes Center. The province responded to this dedicated family with a laudable Provincial Board Resolution, citing its own adoption of the Neatrour family: Peyton, Leslie, Kristin, Katie and Greg by the grateful people of Surigao del Sur.

Our second sustainable healthcare project, the MMM Prosthesis, founded and led by Mike Smith, CPO and owner of American Orthotic and Prosthetic Center, received a most pleasant surprise. We were told that it will have a 3000 sq.ft. space in the planned new administrative building where the MMM Eyesight 20/20 Center will also be located. Dr. Ona did the honors at the groundbreaking ceremony. This complements the newly built hospital. To top it all, we found a willing William Aguilar, President of 'Persons With Disabilities' to chair this project in the province. Rehabilitation physician, Mayla Tee,MD and technician Winnie Belosillo, both from Manila representing Physicians for Peace Philippines, joined Mike for a day in screening 30 amputees for eventual prosthesis fitting. After meeting with four government employed dentists, we laid the groundwork for our MMM Dental Care project and to be locally chaired by Dr. Earl Cloyd Mira. This involves a curriculum to train volunteer dental oral educators, preparatory to our plan to eventually graduate dental assistants. This third MMM healthcare project is chaired by Vicki Brett, Director of Dental Assisting Program at ECPI University in Va, Beach. Our consultant is Warren Sachs, DDS, a veteran missioner.

We were graciously hosted by the province of Surigao del Sur thru the excellent leadership of Gov. Johnny and civic leader Lelis Pimentel and by Tandag City thru Mayor Roxanne and former mayor Ayec Pimentel.

Back in States, we are now busy collecting usable and functional equipment and machines to send by year's end, via a 40 ft. container to MMM's newly adopted hospital which practically needs everything, according to our expert logistician, Jim Ireland and MMM benefactors, Jean and Sharon. MMM appreciates any cash donation thru pay pal or in-kind donation when applicable. We have a tax-exempt 501[c][3] status.

Philippine Medical Mission, July 18-29, 2013 and MMM Adoption of the Provincial Hospital in Tandag, Surigao del Sur, Mindanao, Philippines

Philippine Medical Mission, July 18-29, 2013 and MMM Adoption of the Provincial Hospital in Tandag, Surigao del Sur, Mindanao, Philippines:

Two years to the month after its historic medical mission trip to Tandag in July, 2011, the entire humanitarian/philanthropist Neatrour family will be back to Tandag to continue its support and nurture the Montero Medical Missions Eyesight 20/20 project it started. Back then, there were six in-country ophthalmologists who joined Dr. Peyton Neatrour in operating 140 patients, mostly cataract, in 21/2 days and distributed several hundreds of eyeglasses after thorough screening by optometrists.Through his determined efforts, Alcon, USA donated a phaco machine to the hospital. The Eyesight project, under the able directorship of optometrist Dr. Chris Buniel, has become a public-private partnership endeavor to strengthen its sustainability. This is our MMM flagship project, ready to be replicated in other countries.

This July, MMM is fortunate to have Mike Smith,CPO, owner of American Orthotic and Prosthetic Center, based in Chesapeake, to be in our team. He will start an MMM Prosthetic project in Tandag with plans to serve eastern Mindanao. We will do this in partnership with Physicians for Peace Philippines' Walking Free project , which he helped start.

What makes this trip truly remarkable is the planned signing of the documents on MMM Adoption of the Provincial Hospital--Adela Sierra Ty Memorial Medical Center, the second such adoption in the nation, but the first adopted hospital under the control of the Dept. of Health in Manila. We envision three sustainable healthcare projects to be based at ASTMMC, which will include Eyesight, Prosthesis and Dental Care. All three will serve as our MMM model to be replicated in other countries. We also have a logistician in our team, Col.[ret] Jim Ireland to assess all the needs of the hospital and to plan the donation process. And as promised to our benefactors, we heartily welcome the inclusion of Jean and her daughter Sharon to our team. There is always room for philanthropists to explore and to further humanitarianism. The team leaves Norfolk July 18 and return July 29, 2013.

MMM Health Fair for Veterans helps local veterans.

On October 27, 2012, Montero Medical Missions had its inaugural Health Fair for Veterans at the Lifestyle Center of the Chesapeake Regional Medical Center (CRMC).   Over 90 volunteers participated in the event, eager to give back to the veterans in their community. 

Fifty-five veterans were screened by healthcare professionals in the following areas of the veteran's choice: 

            1.  general medicine

            2.  dental care

            3.  mental health

            4.  eye sight

            5.  hearing

            6.  dermatology

            7.  women's health

            8.  chiropractic

            9.  prosthesis / orthosis

            10. social work

Among the many physicians that volunteered their time to screen the veterans were MMM Vice President G. Peyton Neatrour, MD and MMM advisory board member Stephanie Marioneaux, MD, both ophthalmologists.  The Lions mobile van was also at the event for screenings.

Each veteran was assigned a volunteer to escort them through the health fair and provide the V.I.P. treatment that the veterans deserve.  The veterans were given a thank you "goody bag".  Additionally, continental breakfast from Panera and lunch from ECPI University was provided for the 9:00 AM - 3:00 PM event.

The inaugural event included a short ceremony conducted by COL (R) James W. Ireland, Director of the Health Fair for Veterans.   MMM Founder and President, Juan Montero II, MD also spoke along with Bob Oman, Chairman of the CRMC Hospital Authority and Eric Endries, Director of the Virginia Wounded Warrior Program for Hampton Roads.  

The feedback we received from veterans and volunteers was extremely positive.  The veterans were very appreciative to MMM and the volunteers were pleased to assist the veterans.  

After the veterans were screened at all the areas of their choice, those that required medical treatment were referred to physicians and other healthcare providers in the region.  

There is not enough room to print all of the findings of the health fair, but we'd like to share some of the vision screening results.    Dr. Neatrour screened 25 people and dispensed 8 pairs of glasses to appreciative veterans.   His vision screening resulted in identifying the following:   4 Cataracts, 1 Glaucoma, 4 Glaucoma suspect, 2 Retina/Macular Degeneration, 2 Pseudophakia, 8 Presbyopia, 4 Myopia, and 8 Hyperopia.

Many individuals and organizations, including Director Becky Washburn and the Chesapeake Medical Reserve Corps, volunteered their time and/or services and MMM is thankful for their support.   If you are interested in volunteering for future health fairs, please let us know.  Businesses and companies looking to employ veterans are welcome.  We are also looking for donations of items for future thank you "goody bags" for the veterans.  

Future Health Fairs for Veterans will be at the Lifestyle Center at Chesapeake Regional Medical Center on the following dates:

            January 12, 2013         9:00 AM to 1:00 PM

            April 27, 2013              9:00 AM to 1:00 PM

            July 13, 2013               9:00 AM to 1:00 PM

            October 12, 2013        9:00 AM to 1:00 PM

Montero Medical Missions' Memorable Magical Month

The month of October, 2012 will be remembered as ultimate reflection of the Montero Medical Missions' MMM initials. It stands for a Memorable Magical Month. Here are three reasons why:

On October 8, 2012, we received our IRS 501[c][3] tax-exempt status--quite an achievement for a 15-month old, predominantly international humanitarian organization. We have already been to three countries: Philippines, Ghana, Peru and created MMM EyeSight 20/20 project in Surigao del Sur, Mindanao, Philippines.

On October 19, 2012, we had a very successful Montero Medical Missions Reception with H.E. Ambassador Jose L. Cuisia, Jr. at the Philippine Embassy in Washington, D.C. Quite a treat at that level for a start-up organization.

On October 27, 2012, the MMM Health Fair for Veterans finally had its inaugural event at the Lifestyle Center of the Chesapeake Regional Medical Center. It was a resounding success in all aspects. This domestic on-going, voluntary revolutionary project to assist our veterans in their healthcare needs will resume in January, 2013 and probably monthly thereafter.

With the holidays just around the corner, MMM looks forward to a Christmas fundraiser to be hosted by Earl and Pau Virts at their gorgeous Helping Your Loved Ones assisted living facility in Chesapeake. What a way to cap an event-studded year.

The Neatrour Family recounts their eyesight mission to Ghana: EyeBlog 20/20

EyeBlog 20/20
Eye Opening Ghana 2012
Setting foot in Africa in June to help our Ghanaian brothers and sisters proved to be an impressionable experience that was both remarkably rewarding and profoundly educational. The Neatrour family (all 5) and Andrew (one of Kristin’s fellow medical school students), with the help of Unite for Sight (UFS) and Montero Medical Missions, teamed up to deliver vision to those needing provisions as simple as reading glasses or eye drops to providing improved sight through cataract or pterygium surgery. In 320lbs of our luggage, we hauled surgical supplies, including 100 IOLs (intraocular lens implants), surgical blades, and viscoelastic solution (used inside the eye in cataract surgery), as well as five live corneas for transplantation and instruments that help discern IOL power and diagnose glaucoma.

Preparation was key as we all worked for months to become Global Impact Fellows with Unite for Sight, an impressive 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. After completing 70 plus educational modules each, we became proficient in topics including Cultural Competency, Ethics and Professionalism, Global Health, Community Eye Health, Social Entrepreneurship, Ghana Volunteer Training, and Travel Abroad Training. Generous donations from family, friends, co-workers, Community United Methodist Church members, Montero Medical Missions, and Medical Supply Rescue & Recycle helped us to meet our $10,000 goal to provide cataract surgery for 200 Ghanaians and glasses for 3,600 patients in need. Alcon, Allergan, and Bausch & Lomb were generous in donating eye drops and surgical supplies. Icare USA donated a tonometer for measuring IOPs (intraocular pressures) for glaucoma detection. Vision Share, in partnership with the Lions Medical Eye Bank and Research Center of Eastern Virginia, donated five live corneas (one of which was implanted while I was in Ghana). Accutome partnered with the Neatrour Family Foundation to donate an A-Scan ultrasound device designed to measure the correct IOL power to use in surgery. Additionally, 3600 pairs of reading glasses (250 lbs) were either donated or purchased, cleaned, sorted, and delivered to the partner optometrists in Ghana to be distributed to poverty stricken Ghanaians in the villages. All of these supplies fit in six large black canvas backpacks (50 lbs each)!

Day 1 and 2 took Leslie, Katie, and Greg on an overnight outreach mission with a local optometrist, ophthalmic nurse, and fellow volunteers to the Eastern Region villages of Akoase and Ayirebi where they screened 100-150 patients each day for cataracts, refractive errors, glaucoma, and retina conditions. They served as visual acuity testers and glasses/eye drop dispensers as the optometrists completed the visual exams and screened for eye surgery. The driver Bismarck helped with translation from the native “Twi” to English. The roads of red dirt and puddles (from the rainy season) led to the perfect storm when the Unite for Sight van stalled out in the middle of nowhere at night.You can just imagine Leslie and Katie standing outside of the security of the van in the dark of night on a remote dirt road in Africa surrounded by sounds of wildlife and abuzz with mosquitoes (potentially carrying malaria). Greg and four other men pushed the gas-flooded van out of the water while the women supervised. Thankfully, the men were able to start the van, which approached 200,000 miles on its odometer. That night was spent in the safe shelter of mosquito net tents on beds inside an 80 plus degree motel room.

While half the team traveled, the other half (Kristin, Andrew and I) joined Dr. Baah of the Save the Nation’s Sight Clinic on that first day. We delivered the Accutome A-scan and trained the staff on its use. The ultrasound is important in measuring the length of the eye to choose the correct IOL power to see distance in one eye and near in the other. It was put to use in the patients that had cataract surgery that afternoon where I performed my 1st SICS (small incision cataract surgery). This manual technique dominates in the developing world due to the quick recovery in vision and low cost. The incision is large enough to deliver the nucleus out of the eye, but still self-healing so no sutures are needed. This was a technique I had never learned to do until now – in my 25 years of performing cataract surgery! Day 2 took us to Dr. Clarke’s Crystal Eye Clinic where Kristin and Andrew began their diabetes study on 47 cataract patients, which continued over the next four days. I performed more SICS cataract procedures and Dr. Clarke, a corneal transplant to a patient who had a corneal scar from a severe infection. I saw something rare that day: a Ghanaian with complete 3rd nerve palsy in one eye – a fully drooping eyelid, turned-out eye with limited movement, and a dilated pupil. This patient was referred to the University Hospital for imaging to decipher causes (possibly caused by a brain tumor).

Day 3 united our entire team as we traveled on an outreach in the Volta Region to the small village of Juapong where our team saw 104 patients. The visual acuity team hung the eye charts on the side of the van while the patients sat under a tree for protection from the hot sun and the occasional rain. The rest of the team found refuge in a small building where I helped to conduct a study with the iCare tonometer – a piece of equipment that detects glaucoma by bouncing a small plastic and gold rod off the cornea without the need for anesthetic drops. Ernest, our optometrist, and I found it accurate and he accepted it as his new preferred way to measure intraocular pressure. I named him the “iCare master“ and we shared laughs! We saw seven patients needing cataract surgery, one with ectropion with the lower lids hanging out, a droopy eyelid in a 1 ½ – year old, a corneal scar from birth in a 6-month old, bilateral cataracts in a 1-month old, and 20 patients with glaucoma (two of which were end-stage with only hand motion vision). Eye drops (ranging from meds for glaucoma to those treating infection) and reading glasses were dispensed (the cost of which were only the equivalent of US $.50 – $2 each to the needy patient). Patients needing a consultation in the clinic or requiring surgery were given a date and the community coordination team arranged patient transportation.

Day 4 took the entire team to the Crystal Eye Clinic to observe as Dr. Clarke and I performed more cataract and pterygium surgery. The teamwork of Dr. Clarke’s staff in the clinic and operating room was noteworthy and very efficient. Some days Dr Clarke works until 9 or 10pm and performs surgery on 50 plus eyes! Every volunteer was given the opportunity to observe the surgery up close. Greg enjoyed passing the tape to Dr. Clarke to patch the operated eye. Partnering with UFS has allowed Dr. Clarke to grow his cataract surgery volume 13 fold over the past five years!

Day 5 took the outreach half of our team to a Christian school to educate and screen students ranging in age from 3 yrs old to 18 yrs old. The 600 or so students all wore uniforms, were remarkably behaved, and greatly appreciated our presence. The team offered an educational 45 minute talk, screened ~100 students (identified at risk by teachers), and distributed 100 coloring books and crayons to children ranging in age from pre-school to 1st grade. The coloring books, which focused on health-related topics in English, were generously donated by one of Kristin’s contacts. The children enjoyed performing dances and singing songs for the volunteers. That day Kristin and Andrew completed their diabetes study at the Crystal Eye Clinic, and I ran Dr. Baah’s Save the Nations Sight Clinic since Dr. Baah scooted to the airport to pick up a visiting doctor. Eye conditions seen that day included dry eyes, refractive errors, and glaucoma (newly diagnosed in a 28 year old with normal IOPs but with severe visual field loss). The next touching story I experienced was a one-eyed cataract patient (the other eye was blind with only light perception vision after a corneal transplant in Egypt in the 1970’s) who was carried on his son’s back up to the 2nd floor theater (operating room) and then back down because of his difficulty in walking. This gentleman will now be able to care for himself and not be so dependent on others because of the cataract surgery performed that day on his one remaining functional eye.

The friendships made with our gracious hosts- Dr. Clarke, Dr. Baah, Jerome, Ernest, John, Bismarck, and Margaret – and fellow volunteers (15 or more from the East Coast to the West Coast of the US who stayed at the Telecentre Bed & Breakfast) will last a lifetime! We return with a renewed enthusiasm, dedication, and passion to help our fellow man throughout the world. I encourage you to join our team to help the world see!