Thomas Intrabartola- This is my second trip with Blanca’s house and I’m very happy to be able do this again. I can’t believe that I’m doing and learning so much more than last time it’s amazing. All of the doctors are very friendly and are great teachers. I have a lot of fun working with all the staff here and learning whatever I can from them. They always keep things interesting and there is never a dull moment. I really enjoy helping all of the patients and looking after them in post operation recovery. I love connecting with the patient and helping them have an easier time by doing thing like conversing with them, meeting their families, and interacting in other ways. I feel very lucky to be able to have this experience once again and can’t wait to see what else I will learn.
Jacob Stern (Junior Volunteer)- This is my first opportunity to be a part of the Blanca’s House organization, and could not be happier with my experience. I was very unsure about my interest in the medical field going into this once in a life time experience. Now I can clearly see that I have a strong interest in medicine and hope to pursue a career in medicine. I have learned so many things from all of the doctors and nurses around me, and have had all my questions answered. The experiences that I have obtained through this trip are things I won’t ever forget. I couldn’t believe how close I was able to get to a live surgery, and was very excited to be able to do any of the work that I could. I was very happy to be a part of this mission, and hope to go on another Blanca’s House mission.
Chiara Heintz (Junior Volunteer)- This is my second mission with Blanca’s House – I came to Guayaquil on the June mission and knew that I had to come back as soon as possible. So here I am, on the next possible mission! I am so fortunate to be here, learning from a new group of incredible physicians, nurses, and volunteers—their passion for patient care and for teaching students like me is the life force behind all of Blanca’s House, and it has affirmed my decision to go to medical school next year.
Rory Scriven (junior volunteer)- This is my first mission with Blanca’s House, and it was the best experience I could have imagined. Being that my dad was the general surgeon on this mission I can now understand what he talks about at home. It was also great to be a part of the Blanca’s House family where every single person I met is generous and has the same goal as me, which is to change lives one family at a time.
Connor O’Sullivan (Junior Volunteer coordinator)- This is my sixth mission with Blanca’s House and I continue to learn each and every time I come. I have been a coordinator for the junior volunteers for over a year now and I could not have asked for better JV’s the assist us throughout these long tiring days. Before I embarked on my first mission I had no interest in medicine and after standing in on my first surgery I instantly changed my mind. I now have chosen to pursue a career as a nurse anesthetist thanks to our amazing anesthesia team. I cannot wait to embark on my future missions.
Daniel Decker (Junior Volunteer)- This was my first mission with Blanca’s House and it has been one of the greatest experiences of my life. Ever since I was in middle school and I knew I wanted to be in the medical field but I really didn’t know what I wanted to be. Blanca’s house has enabled me to experience an actual hospital environment and see how the operating room and surgeries are performed. The doctors here do an outstanding job of explaining how each operation works and teaching as they perform the surgeries. This has truly assisted me in helping me find the direction in medicine that I want to go and motivate me to keep pursuing my dreams. I cannot thank Blanca’s house enough for not only the learning opportunity but also the chance to help change lives of the unfortunate and meet some really awesome people. I’m ready for mission two.
