MEDICAL SERVICES FOR THOSE WITH NO ACCESS
A main pillar of service provided by the Foundation is the group’s annual medical mission. Motivated by the experience of participating in medical missions in Haiti, TCKF’s President Carlos Martinez spearheaded the first modest but determined team of 24 medical and support professionals in 2014. The goal? Provide free medical care to rural communities in El Salvador who would otherwise not have access to these services.
Since that time in 2014, TCKF’s medical missions have provided services to thousands of patients. With the help of much needed and larger monetary donations, the TCKF medical mission has evolved to now include a team of 72 medical practitioners and support staff, serving approximately 3000 patients every year. TCKF sponsors roundtrip transportation buses and trucks to encourage participation and ensure even the frailest and elderly are able to avail themselves of the team’s help. During these missions, TCKF also fills thousands of prescriptions every day, providing frequently unavailable medication or enabling access to medications that are simply financially unattainable.
In addition to basic medical care, TCKF’s medical mission efforts have evolved to include more sophisticated and comprehensive diagnostic tools, dentistry, general health and condition-specific education as well as more pharmaceutical options.
The team works to educate patients on commonly seen chronic conditions. They host multiple clinics throughout the mission week on disease causes, treatment and patient management. The Foundation also provides hundreds of reading glasses, assistive devices, toothbrushes and thousands of children’s vitamins to these under resourced communities.
The effort is substantive but the results are priceless!
2025 Medical Mission
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2023 Medical Mission
By Dr. Rhys Dapar
Medical Mission
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WHAT THE MISSIONS MEAN FOR OUR VOLUNTEERS
“El Salvador, like many countries across the globe, struggles to provide adequate health care to their people. One of the most rewarding aspects of this medical mission is the opportunity to put my skills and talents to use where they’re urgently required. It’s an opportunity and an honor to serve these patients who receive our entire team with nothing but gratitude and respect.”
“As an EMT, there’s much about the medical field and working with patients I never would have experienced if I hadn’t spent this week in El Salvador and I know these experiences will stick with me for life. I’ve become more well-rounded, flexible and open-minded about medicine and more than ever, I value the impact of how I can help people every day.”
It’s the best feeling in the world to help people in the towns where we traveled. Whether it’s providing medical care, diagnosing an illness or simply providing a pair of reading glasses to help them sew or read, their delight and gratitude for the work we do is indescribable.
