Our First RAM Expedition in Kentucky!!!!

Hi everyone! It's Anjelica. On June 18th, six of us, along with some of our parents, headed down to Pikeville, Kentucky to volunteer at our first Remote Area Medical (RAM) expedition. We volunteered on June 19th and 20th. The entire weekend was both eye opening and inspiring. We all knew how serious the health crisis is right here in our own country but seeing it for ourselves really hit home.

Reality struck us at around 6 in the morning on June 19th. As we were walking through the high school, that was converted into a medical facility, we passed people who were both standing in line and sitting in chairs, waiting for help. We spoke to some of the people waiting and they told us that they came the night before and slept in their cars. Lines formed early in the morning and if they received too high a number, they knew there was a possibility that they could not be seen. Well, that really struck a chord. How horrible that a person must wait 12 hours for help and sleep in their car just to get a tooth removed or their heart checked out.

This problem with health care is real and the people are real. We weren't just reading about it, we were witnessing it. The hardships people must face just to get simple medical care is heartbreaking. It is difficult to imagine what it would be like if one of us was in pain and our parents couldn't afford to take us to the doctor. These people without health care wait months, and even years to get the help they need. For some people, by the time they are able to see a doctor it's already too late.

We were lucky enough to have a hands on experience. Not only did we participate in one of the biggest RAM Kentucky clinics, but we also met the most amazing people ever (Shout out to Stan Brock, Dr. Collins, Jaymie, the US Public Health Service, and the Super Six!!). With the help of so many volunteers, close to 1,000 people were able to receive free medical attention! This included cancer screenings, getting teeth pulled, receiving new glasses, heart check ups and much more.

We cannot wait until our next RAM expedition. This experience has made us determined to raise even more money for expeditions in the future!