Oregon Healthy Living Dec. 2014

Complimentary

Dec. 2014 Vol. 7 — Issue 12

GOING GLOBAL Rogue Valley health pros volunteer their skills worldwide

PLUS Healthy gift ideas

O regon H ealthy L iving . com

2

Oregon Healthy Living • December 1, 2014

Table of Contents

December 2014 | Volume 7, Issue 12

6 11 15 16 18 21 HEALTH TANZANIA Honduras PERU Healthy DRC Proactive Democratic Nursing care visits Physical therapy in Dental care in the Gift on Pain: of around the globe the tropics Andes Guide: Republic Providence’s Congo: Ideas for holidays

Medical care in the jungle

therapy

December 1, 2014 • Oregon Healthy Living

3

The editor’s desk

Advertiser Index

A friend recently acquainted me with the term “dangerous unselfishness,” an empathy-in-action call coined by Martin Luther King Jr. from his “I’ve Been to the Mountaintop” speech delivered the day before his death in 1968. I couldn’t help thinking of this type of sacrificial action as we profiled five local medical providers who have taken their skills and talents to remote and sometimes dangerous locations around the globe to voluntarily provide what succor they can. At this gift-giving time of crose@mailtribune.com year, I am touched by the remarkable gift these people have given.

On the cover

​One of several local health professionals who chooses to share his skills abroad, Dr. David Allen mixes volunteering with sightseeing when he visits GOING Peru to help with impoverished residents’ dental GLOBAL needs. Allen provided this picture, taken while PLUS visiting the mysterious Machu Picchu ruins with his son, Luke. The dentist takes one of his seven children on the trip, and the child helps with basic tasks at the clinic and plays with the local children. Through this experience, Allen, like the other medical professionals profiled in this issue, has found that the rewards of service outweigh the risks.

Complimentary

Dec. 2014 Vol. 7 — issue 12

health pros volunteer their skills worldwide

Healthy gift ideas

O regOn H ealtHy l iving. cOm

STAFF editor: Cheryl P. Rose advertising director: Dena DeRose Design & Production: Bret Jackson

4

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS: Cathleen Cole Margaret Battistelli Gardner Cindy Quick Wilson

Oregon Healthy Living • December 1, 2014

Ashland Dental Associates..................4 Ashland Food Co-op . .....................15 The Blue Giraffe.................................4 BrainJoy.............................................8 Custom Chiropractic & Wellness Clinic...................................9 EMZ Blendz Soap Co.........................7 The Great Unbaked..........................23 Katzen Orthodontics.........................12 Medford Food Co-op.......................19 Medical Eye Center..........................19 Medicap Pharmacy..........................20 Natures Pet Market...........................10 Naturopathic Medical Clinic...............7 Oregon Advanced Imaging................3 Oregon Surgical Specialists..............14 Orenda Energy Arts...........................8 Pacific Health Care Training...............9 Pacific Source...................................13 Providence Medford Medical Center.................................24 Retina Care Center...........................17 Rogue Fit Solutions...........................23 Rogue Health...................................21 Royal Oak Retirement.........................5 Sherm’s Food 4 Less...........................2 Shop’n Kart......................................20 Southern Oregon Cardiology...........22 Oregon Healthy Living Magazine is published by the Southern Oregon Media Group Advertising Department, 111 N. Fir St., Medford, OR 97501. General information: 541.776.4411 To advertise: 541.776.4422 Submissions and feedback: crose@mailtribune.com

Gift Guide

New Ideas for an Old Tradition— Holiday Gift Giving TEXT BY CINDY QUICK WILSON

N

o matter how you celebrate the holiday season, if you participate in traditional gift giving, you probably put considerable time and effort into choosing the right present for those special people. Oregon Healthy Living has gathered some unique gift ideas from local businesses that can help ease the burden of holiday shopping. From the wannabe fitness buff to the pamper-yourself-silly chocolate lover, we offer a selection of items with a wide range of appeal.

For the Fitness Buff

Gym Membership/ Personal Training For the person who wants to start a new fitness program, walking into a gym for the first time can be intimidating.

Knowing how to use the equipment, learning the proper form when handling free weights and having the support and encouragement of a personal trainer is priceless. A gym membership can be the gift that lasts a lifetime. For example, Aspire Fitness in Medford is offering a half-off holiday special—a three-month gym membership for only $92.50, which includes membership fee and two personal training sessions.

If your giftee is an aspiring athlete, they might prefer a more sports-oriented approach to fitness that includes athletic performance training for speed, agility and quickness. Specialized trainers also offer strength and cross-fit training, kickboxing and team training camps.

6

Personal training sessions typically cost about $50 a session and many offer multi-session packages. For example, Lepari’s Sports and Fitness in Medford has a December special that includes one month of personal training for only $100.

Stormsensor Gloves Lovers of the great outdoors are always in need of gear that enhances their enjoyment of nature. Tech-friendly, touch-screen compatible, StormSensor Gloves are equally at home during alpine climbing, ski touring or ice climbing.

Designed with TouchTec technology— which allows for gloves-on use of touch screen devices—the Stormsensor Gloves add an innovative twist to these highperformance soft-shell gloves. Available at Ashland Outdoor Store in Ashland for $23 to $85.

Oregon Healthy Living • December 1, 2014

Ghost Whisperer Jacket Great for climbers, hikers, campers and paddlers, the Mountain Hardwear Ghost Whisperer jacket is rain and wind resistant. This high-tech, easy-to-stow coat weighs only 2 ounces and folds up smaller than a ping pong ball. This garment is so unique that only one mill in the world is capable of making its special fabric. With its ability to be stuffed into its own small pocket, it’s a runner’s or biker’s dream. Available at Medford’s Northwest Outdoor store for $165.

GIFT GUIDE For the Foodie JEM Nut Butters When delicious flavors and healthy living meet, it is a tough act to beat. JEM Nut Butters make a great gift idea because not only are these four spreads raw, vegan, free of dairy and gluten, certified organic, nonGMO, and fair-trade sourced, they taste phenomenal! They come in two sizes, a 6-ounce jar and a 1-ounce sampler jar, perfect for those who want a tasty preview. Spread on toast or use in marinades, dips, smoothies and even on ice cream. So whether you are putting together a gift basket for your favorite foodie friend or trying to spice up your own morning bagel, grab a jar of JEM, sit down, and settle in for the enchanting performance about to begin on your taste buds.

The ingredient lists are simple, short, and understandable and these butters are made in Bend. Available at Shop ’n Kart in Ashland, ranging from $3.51 to $10.38.

Organic Truffles and Handcrafted Teapots Most of us have someone who is challenging to buy for so this may be the gift they will rave about. Organic chocolate truffles infused with high quality tea is a great gift idea for tea and chocolate lovers alike. Or treat that special aunt or sister to this exquisite tea set. These artisan handcrafted teapots and cups are made exclusively for Dobrá Tea in Ashland. Serve with your choice

of over 100 different loose leaf teas sold at the teahouse to make the perfect holiday gift. Milk jug and sugar bowl are also made to match this set and are sold separately. $38 for teapot, cups $6 each.

Vitamix Stir it up, chop it up, cream it, blend it or grind it, the popular Vitamix is a foodie’s BFF, being versatile and easy to use. This amazing machine makes you a whiz at everything from ice cream to smoothies to hot soup. The Kitchen Company in Grants Pass carries five different models, which range in price from $449.95 to $649.95. All have a 7-year warranty and are made in the USA. Cooking Classes Your favorite foodie probably spends hours watching cooking shows so why not indulge their desire to master that perfect gourmet meal? Local cooking classes teach how to make some tummy-warming winter soups or the secrets of making delicious spring rolls. These classes provide much more than just how-to-make recipes; they teach skill sets that will improve your expertise and versatility in the kitchen. Classes are taught year-round at several places. For example, the Jacksonville Mercantile in Jacksonville has upcoming classes for $35.

December 1, 2014 • Oregon Healthy Living

7

GIFT GUIDE Natural Alternatives Relaxation & Stress Control Last year you got her a sweater, the year before it was a kitchen gadget. Nice, but rather ho hum.

This year, you’d like to think of something truly unique. Neurowellness sessions at Brainjoy in Medford are holistic and noninvasive using neurofeedback that provides a gentle tune-up for the brain. These relaxing sessions use neural signals based on the brain’s activity to bring about a healthy, balanced state that improves resilience, flexibility, stability and a sense of peacefulness. Special rates for gift certificates.

NOW Oil Diffuser There is one thing that best brings holiday memories to mind—scent. The deep smell of fresh cut pine, the crisp tingle of peppermint, and the warm, hearty scents of Mom’s kitchen can carry us back through the years to winters from

long ago. Bring those scents to life with the NOW Solutions Ultrasonic Oil Diffuser. Its simple shape and nearly silent operation make it ideal for any room in your home or even your office. It is BPA-free and uses no heat. Simple vibrations disperse the oils into the air for up to eight hours and then shuts off automatically. There are LED lights that can be set to rotate, paused on your favorite, or turned off completely. Available at Shop ’n Kart in Ashland for $36.98.

Essential Oils If natural wellness is important to someone on your gift list, they will be delighted with a selection of essential oils. These extracted plant oils contain powerful medicinal properties and can be used as a natural alternative to synthetic treatments for allergies, acne, asthma, burns, headaches, sore throats and many other ailments. Check out DoTerra Essential Oils, available through Orenda Energy Arts in Ashland.

8

Oregon Healthy Living • December 1, 2014

GIFT GUIDE

Hemp Fiber The versatile hemp plant is used in a multitude of products ranging from edibles to wearables.

Hempy’s is the only made-in-theUSA hemp beanie in the world. Each $26 beanie features three eco-friendly fibers: hemp, organic cotton and recycled cotton. Wholly Hemp soaps and moisturizers are handmade in small batches in the USA. The highest quality organic materials are used, sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS) free, paraben-free, and not tested on animals. Prices range from a 4-ounce bar for $5 to a 4-ounce jar for $10 Find these and other hemp products at Mary Jane’s Attic in Medford.

Eco-friendly Toys Create a magical world of kings and queens, knights and ladies with blocks sets from Plan Toys. Each set features pieces made from sustainable rubberwood and eco-friendly PlanWood, made from reclaimed wood sawdust and certified organic.

Whether you choose the Fairytale set or the Medieval set, each is wonderful for encouraging creative construction, storytelling and pretend play. $30 each. Find them at Growing Green Baby in Ashland.

December 1, 2014 • Oregon Healthy Living

9

GIFT GUIDE Pampering Indulgences Oxygen Facial Celebrities and national fashion magazines are raving about the new skincare technology from Intraceuticals and this innovative oxygen facial is now available in the Rogue Valley. Intraceuticals uses hyaluronic acid as a delivery agent for vitamins, peptides and botanicals that revive, replenish and protect the skin.

Indulge yourself or buy this little slice of heaven for that special woman in your life. Offered at the Blue Giraffe Day Spa & Salon in Ashland for $135.

Lotions and Soaps Emz Blendz and Soap Company in Ashland makes solid Lotion Bars from organic oils and natural vegetable butters that slowly melt in the warmth of your hands as you use them, all-natural and earth-friendly with no bottle to discard or recycle.

The bars come in Coconut Vanilla and Herb Garden for $10.95. Or treat her to Emz Blendz Skin Food. This is a concentrated, soothing herbal balm that helps to heal chapped, cracked, extra dry or damaged skin.

The balm is packed with vitamin-rich organic vegetable oils and butters, and medicinal plant essential oils. It comes in two scent blends, Original Herbal and Sandalwood Citrus, for $34 each.

dietitians based on a practical nutrition plan using grocery store foods. It includes faceto-face accountability with certified wellness consultants, easy and enjoyable exercise and rejuvenating relaxation treatments. The New Well in Medford is offering $100 off gift certificates this holiday season.

Yak Wool Blankets You can never have too many warm, cozy, made-for snuggling-blankets, whether you are settled in with a good book and a cup of cocoa or cuddling up with your sweetheart and a glass of wine in front of the fire.

These are made from yak wool and acrylic and came all the way from India. There are hundreds of colors and styles to choose from and they are hand- or machine-washable.

Stocked at Shop’N Kart in Ashland for $15.98 each.

Gift Certificate Bring in this coupon and receive: $200 towards the

the new well 1250 Biddle Rd, Suite C Medford, Or. 97504 (541)772-2224

new well’s wellness & weight loss program

Please use by: ___01/31/2015________

New Year, New You For a little help with that slim down New Year’s resolution, The New Well program is designed by registered

10

Oregon Healthy Living • December 1, 2014

DRC

Left: The clinic staff at the end of a long day treating patients in Kafita.

Below: Dr. Ysu Umbalo, John and Ellen Heinitz, Therese Umbalo.

Bright Lights in the Heart of Darkness Ellen Heinitz TEXT BY MARGARET BATTISTELLI GARDNER • Photos courtesy of Ellen Heinitz

M

ind-numbing statistics about the dangers of life in the brutal warzone that is the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) didn’t stop Grants Pass naturopathic doctor Ellen Heinitz from visiting the country twice — so far.

December 1, 2014 • Oregon Healthy Living

11

DRC

Above: Dr. Heinitz performing a prenatal ultrasound in the back of the ambulance during an outreach.

Left: Some ladies waiting for meds at the outreach in Takelia.

“I really felt that God was telling me that He has so much hope for changing it for the good,” Heinitz says. “The people there are used to not having positive things happen, but they are so hopeful and so ready for it to change for the good.”

With so many succumbing to illnesses that are relatively easy and inexpensive to treat, improved healthcare can go a long way toward inching the needle closer to a better way of life for the Congolese people.

Heinitz has launched a personal campaign to help.

Her interest in the area blossomed when she and her husband, John, visited the DRC community of Lubumbashi and her old medicalschool chum, Yumba “Ysu” Sanga Umbalo, a physician who had returned to his homeland to put his U.S. education to work for his fellow Congolese.

“It took 10 years, but God put it

12

Oregon Healthy Living • December 1, 2014

on our hearts to visit him,” she says.

“For two and a half weeks in 2013, we spent time with him and his family, spent time in his clinic, and saw the tremendous need.”

Aside from working in Umbalo’s clinic, Heinitz accompanied him as he traveled from village to village, providing as much free or affordable care to as many people as possible.

What happened when the Heinitzes left the DRC last year was nothing short of a string of miracles. Heinitz scoured Craigslist and placed a $1,500 bid on a used ambulance in Oakridge.

Not only did she win the auction, but Oakridge interim Fire Chief Tim Whittaker and firefighter-paramedic Patrick Frare contacted other fire departments and clinics to fill the ambulance with medical supplies.

The city of Oakridge even refused to accept Heinitz’s $1,500, which was used instead for big-ticket items such as surgical tables.

DRC

The ambulance arrived in the DRC in April, and Heinitz and her husband returned in September to receive delivery of a 40-foot shipping container full of supplies. And the miracles continued.

The shipment was held up at the border, where Congolese officials were demanding $30,000 in fees — a considerable increase from the $3,000 Heinitz was originally told she’d have to pay. Much finagling ensued, during which the doctor scrambled to prove that everything from the ambulance down to the last tongue depressor had been donated. Finally, DRC officials acquiesced, and the container and supplies were cleared for no additional cost. Not even the original $3,000.

Heinitz chalked up the change of heart to her having more credibility because of her association with the local Umbalo. But beneath that, or perhaps above it, she felt there were greater forces at play. For example, the customs chaos cost them time and frustration, but in the end it saved the original $3,000 in fees.

continued on page 14

To contribute or otherwise help in the Heinitzes’ efforts in the DRC, contact Dr. Heinitz at the Naturopathic Medical Clinic (541.476.2916) or email ellendayheinitz@hotmail.com.

December 1, 2014 • Oregon Healthy Living

13

CONGO

continued from page 13 And that, she says, is at the heart of how her experiences in the DRC have changed her. What she learned from the highly spiritual (predominantly Christian) Congolese people is that faith and patience are true virtues.

“I am a much more faithful person now,” she says. “Africans are so amazingly patient. They have a very peaceful attitude of doing everything they can for a situation and then letting it play out, and having faith in the process that everything will work out for the good, the way God intends it. They have a way of being at peace with whatever the outcome is, because something that looks like a negative at first winds up being hugely positive in a way you might not expect.”

Heinitz and her husband have committed themselves to creating nonprofit organizations here and in the

14

The ambulance outside the village clinic in Kafita.

Congo to secure and deliver medical supplies on an ongoing basis. Her goal is to establish Lubumbashi as a hub that can stock and staff clinics throughout the region.

“Every time I left, I wanted to stay longer. I always wanted to do more,”

Oregon Healthy Living • December 1, 2014

she says. “I would really encourage people to volunteer, here or abroad, and get involved with helping others.

I encourage people to dream, and then go out and do it. We really can make a difference; we really can change the world.”

From Pain to Progress

Understanding persistent pain is key to managing it

“Basically, pain is a warning signal that tells your body it has to change TEXT BY MARGARET BATTISTELLI GARDNER what it’s doing,” Saling says. “But sometimes that signal gets ramped up, and this program is about pain management ramping down the nervous system. It program designed teaches patients that maybe there are options other than popping another to help patients live pain pill.” better by increasing their The therapy slowly pushes patients to move more, despite the pain. And understanding of persistent key to that, Saling says, is helping them pain is how available at understand that persistent pain (when extensive medical testing has ruled out Providence Medford Medical any acute, underlying cause) is actually Center after being pioneered a glitch in the brain’s pain-response system. in Portland for a year.

Getting people with persistent pain Brian Saling, a doctor of physical to move through it relies on easing therapy at Providence Eagle Point their fears that the pain is indicating a Physical Therapy, explains that patients medical threat. They’ll still have pain, in the program receive education about Saling says, but they’ll understand that the physiology and psychology of pain, it’s OK — and necessary — to move and then they learn how to decrease through it. Progress, he adds, is slow their sensitivity to it.

A

HEALTH

and might amount to walking for three minutes at a time rather than one.

It’s important to note that the program doesn’t treat acute sources of pain; instead it addresses the failed pain response that keeps patients dependent on prescription drugs to get them through their days.

There’s a national agenda to reduce pain patients’ morphine use to less than 120 units a month, Saling says. Millions of people in the United States use more than that a month, he adds. And Oregon is no exception.

But the key to reducing reliance on heavy-duty pain meds is sometimes an even tougher pill to swallow.

“You have to fix yourself. There’s not a doctor in the world who can fix your failed pain response,” Saling says. “This is a proactive program that gets patients involved in actually doing something about their pain. Nobody is going to fix these people except for these people.”

December 1, 2014 • Oregon Healthy Living

15

TANZANIA

Sharing Her Gift

for a Natural High TEXT BY CATHLEEN COLE • Photos courtesy of Nisha Jackson

Nisha Jackson

Jackson’s first volunteer medical trip was with Northwest Medical Teams (now Medical Teams International) from Portland in the late 1980s to Oaxaca, Mexico, to help children with cleft lips and palates. In 1989, she was a registered nurse and traveled with Northwest Medical Teams to Mexico City’s huge dump where hundreds of families lived. She taught first aid, basic hygiene, such as the importance of washing hands before handling and eating food, and wearing shoes

16

“I

think you have a gift to work in the medical field,” says Nisha Jackson, a certified nurse practitioner, holistic healthcare practitioner and owner of Ventana Wellness in Medford. “When you give back and help others, it gives you a natural high.”

to protect from cuts and infections.

Volunteers brought in thousands of pairs of shoes and gallons of fresh water. The group never pushed the dump’s residents to leave. “Our mission was to help them understand how to function on a healthier level within their own environment,” Jackson says.

In 1991, as a new nurse practitioner graduate of the University of California, Los Angeles, Jackson went to Bucharest, Romania, with a

Oregon Healthy Living • December 1, 2014

surgery team to help orphans who had “crossed eyes.” “It was to help them become more adoptable,” Jackson says.

She and the surgical team lived for three weeks in the orphanage. After the visit, she spent two years trying to adopt a 5-year-old boy she had come to love, but it never happened. She kept in contact with him while he remained at the orphanage, but she lost touch when he turned 16 and was forced out. “I loved Romania, but there was so much oppression,” she says.

TANZANIA

Medical Teams International 14150 S.W. Milton Court Tigard, OR 97224 503.624.1000 or 800.959.4325 info@medicalteams.org medicalteams.org WEECE Valeria D. Mrema, Executive Director P.O. Box 8820 Moshi, Kilimanjaro, Tanzania info@weeceproject.org weeceproject.org Dining for Women P.O. Box 25633 Greenville, SC 29616-0633 864.335.8401 info@diningforwomen.org diningforwomen.org

In March 2013, Jackson went with her youngest child, McKenzie (who’s now studying to be a nurse), to Tanzania, a country in East Africa, to volunteer for Women’s Education and Economic Centre (WEECE). They were there for a month. “Africa has a way of capturing your heart,” Jackson says.

The mission of WEECE is to help young women find autonomy through education. Jackson taught basic health education and entrepreneurship and helped young women write grants for micro-loans to start small businesses.

“It was really fun,” she says. “I loved those girls so much. That was super rewarding.”

Locally, Jackson is involved with Dining for Women, which has chapters in Medford and Eagle Point.

Chapter members meet on a regular basis to share a “potluck” meal and learn about that month’s featured

programs through videos, educational documents and presentations. Chapter members then donate what they would have typically paid for a dinner at a restaurant.

Traveling to third-world countries is currently difficult due to the Ebola crisis. “I have talked to many people who have suggested that travel now is not a good idea and that we should consider waiting,” Jackson says. “It is only a matter of time before Ebola spreads to other countries within the African continent. It is sad as I know that we need more people volunteering and altruism is so good for you!”

Jackson plans to keep going abroad and volunteering her medical services.

“It has helped me stay balanced my whole life,” she says of caring for people in poor and remote places. “If you don’t stay connected to the rest of the world, you become very shallow,” she believes.

December 1, 2014 • Oregon Healthy Living

17

HONDURAS

Volunteers in Honduras Find a Common Language Steve Zerkel

– Tootsie Rolls

TEXT BY CINDY QUICK WILSON • Photos courtesy of Steve Zerkel

O

n a narrow, dusty road deep in the Honduran jungle rises an unlikely oasis of modern civilization – mission hospital Loma de Luz. Amid the screeches of indigenous monkeys and the scurrying of hairy-legged tarantulas, missionary workers overcome some daunting challenges to provide much needed health care for local residents.

“The main risk is the general lawlessness,” says physical therapist Steve Zerkel, who admits his arrival was a little unsettling. “Just outside the airport there are guys walking around with submachine guns. I signed up for this trip not really knowing what it would be like, but I wanted to use my physical therapy training to help others.” For Zerkel and dedicated volunteers like him, the desire to give of their time and talent outweighs the risks involved.

Zerkel, who owns Medford Sports Injury, continues, “I looked for several years for a mission where I could use my expertise. Then a patient of mine, Amber Shields,

18

Oregon Healthy Living • December 1, 2014

told me she helps to deliver babies at Loma de Luz, and Dr. Richard Owens, a surgeon who works upstairs in my building, also goes there a couple of times a year.”

Although the facility functions like a miniature hospital with 50 beds, operating rooms, a lab and pharmacy, health care workers must adapt to limited technology and a scarcity of medical supplies. In fact, when Zerkel decided to volunteer, Owens responded, “Well, it sure won’t be the ‘frou frou’ kind of stuff you do here!” Zerkel admits, “He was right, because here we have modern machines, the best equipment and medical protocols.” In the jungle, treatments can sometimes be

HONDURAS

Dr. Zerkel, third from left, with colleagues at Loma de Luz. seat-of-the-pants. “They treat a lot of gun shot and machete wounds and because we were all trained in sterile procedures, we pitch in with things we don’t normally do, even if it’s not in our area of expertise.”

The hospital is located near the port city of La Ceiba on the northern coast of Honduras. “If I took a picture of the beautiful ocean view, you would think you were at a resort in a tropical paradise,” Zerkel says. “But if you turn around behind you and look at the living conditions, it’s the complete opposite. It’s a very poor rural area.”

Outside of the hospital, medical treatment is virtually nonexistent in this part of the jungle. “Most people who come to the clinic walk for an hour or two to get there.”

Zerkel soon realized that survival is the main concern for these indigent villagers. “They spend most of their day just figuring out where their next meal is coming from,” he says.

“I did a home visit for a guy who had partial paralysis in his knee and some significant arthritis. If he lived here, he would have had a total knee replacement and life would be good.

But there, that is not an option.

Through the interpreter, he told me he had to be able to work or his family would starve so his only choice was to put up with the pain. I showed him some exercises to strengthen his knee, but in that culture, they just have to work until they drop.”

continued on page 20

December 1, 2014 • Oregon Healthy Living

19

HONDURAS continued from page 20

The experience is fulfilling, but disheartening too, Zerkel admits.

There is overwhelming need, but only so much can be done. And for volunteers who don’t speak Spanish, the language barrier can be frustrating. “There was a little girl, maybe five or six, who had a bad break in her arm and we had to take the cast off because of a problem with the pins. The poor girl was scared to death, just wailing, and because I don’t speak Spanish, I wasn’t able to explain to her what we were going to do. But the cool thing was, I happened to have a bunch of Tootsie Rolls with me and I found out that Tootsie Rolls are a universal language, so I gave her two or three.”

Challenges aside, Zerkel will repeat the trip he made last February. “I’m planning to go back next February.

Even though it’s a little scary at times, there is so much need there. And since my Spanish hasn’t improved much, I’ll definitely be taking a bag of Tootsie Rolls.”

For more information

about how you can contribute to the Loma de Luz hospital or help other programs supported by the Cornerstone Foundation, go to www.crstone.org to learn more about volunteering time, equipment and supplies, or making a monetary donation.

20

Oregon Healthy Living • December 1, 2014

Steve Zerkel Medford Sports Injury 2780 E Barnett Rd Ste 130, Medford 541.779.6146 www.medfordsportsinjury.com

Peru

Giving is a family tradition TEXT BY CATHLEEN COLE • Photos courtesy of David Allen

David Allen

F

or David Allen, a dentist in Medford, family vacations don’t necessarily mean a trip to Disneyland. His idea of a wonderful journey is going on a mission trip to Cusco, Peru, with some of his siblings, his father and at least one of his children.

The dentist has made three trips to Cusco to volunteer his dental expertise for a group called Andean Life Protection and Conservation Association (ALPACA), a nonprofit and non-political organization of volunteers dedicated to the protection and conservation of local customs, traditions, archaeological sites and ecosystems of the various Andean communities. He goes with some of his family members, who are also dental professionals, and one of his seven children, starting with his oldest son, Andrew, in 2010 when he was 12. “I wanted my son to know what it’s like to be in a third-world country and see the benefits of giving back,” he says. Now when one of his children turns 12, he or she goes on the trip.

The clients often have major problems with their teeth because they don’t get proper dental care. “We did mostly extractions, cleaning and fillings,” he says. Most of his patients had problems with proper dental hygiene that resulted in abscessed molars. “Soda pop is cheaper than water down there,” he notes. With only three days at the clinics, he has to do the best he can for the most people possible.

“I wanted to help them in all their needs, but there wasn’t time,” he says.

On his most recent trip last March, he and the group left the city to set up a clinic in a remote village in the Andes Mountains. “That was really rewarding and fun,” he says, adding that it was his best trip so far. He mainly worked

on children and performed mostly extractions to remove abscessed teeth that could not be saved.

Lots of the children were nervous about seeing a dentist, he explains. He and his fellow volunteers worked hard to put the kids at ease and make them feel better. “That type of treatment is what I really like,” he says.

In the city, the clinics were sponsored by churches and other charities. “We were trying to serve patients who didn’t have the means to get dental work done,” he says. “We tried to help anybody we could.” continued on page 22

December 1, 2014 • Oregon Healthy Living

21

PERU continued from page 21 Allen, who is fluent in Spanish, loves volunteering in Latin American countries. That started when he was 19 and served in a mission to Argentina for his church.

Although he’s well aware of the risk of contracting infectious diseases while volunteering, he won’t stop traveling to impoverished areas to give aid. “We use ‘universal precautions’ in dentistry both here at home and abroad,” he explains. “An accidental exposure is rare and if you are careful you can remain protected and prevent almost all exposures.

Peru Trip

Dr. Allen is planning a trip to Peru in 2016 to provide free dental care to people in need. For more information, contact him at drdavidallen@yahoo.com with the subject Peru Trip.

Andean Life Protection and Conservation Association (ALPACA) Raffaele Beltram, president 1515 Mockingbird Lane / Suite 401 Charlotte, NC 28209 877.895.3910 alpaca@bellsouth.net

22

Oregon Healthy Living • December 1, 2014

We take a risk doing dentistry every day. I feel the rewards outweigh the risks.”

The dentist plans to travel to Peru, taking one of his children with him, for many years to come. “I love this trip!” Allen emphasizes. “It is filled with good feelings and experiences.” Giving to others is rewarding, he says, adding that he’s teaching his children the importance of volunteering.

“In this family,” he notes, “we give.”

Local Events BLENDS, SPICES & HERBS, OH MY! TUESDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2014 – 5 P.M. TO 6:45 P.M. The Spice & Tea Exchange, 88 North Main St., Ashland, OR For more information call: 541.708.5306

CHRISTMAS PARTY IN MOROCCO:

CELEBRATE THE HOLIDAYS MOROCCAN STYLE! FRIDAY, DECEMBER 12, 2014 – 6:30 P.M. TO 9 P.M. Community Classroom, 300 North Pioneer St., Ashland, OR For more information call: 541.482.2237

SATURDAY HANDWEAVERS GUILD SATURDAY, DECEMBER 13, 2014 – 1 P.M. TO 3 P.M. Medford Public Library, 205 Central Avenue, Medford, OR For more information call: 541.744.8689

TRAINING YOUR INNER CORE SATURDAY DECEMBER 15, 2014 – 7 P.M. TO 9 P.M. Community Classroom, 300 North Pioneer St., Ashland, OR For more information call: 541.482.2237

LUNCH, LEARN, LAUNCH SERIES:

5 KEY ELEMENTS TO CREATE YOUR SUCCESS BLUEPRINT THURSDAY, DECEMBER 18, 2014 – 12:15 P.M. TO 1:15 P.M. RCC/SOU Higher Education Center, 101 South Bartlett St., Medford, OR For more information call: 541.552.8300

LONGEST NIGHT MILE – 1 MILE SATURDAY, DECEMBER 20, 2014

North Medford High School, 1900 North Keene Way Drive, Medford, OR For more information call: Piet Voskes at 541.944.5460

GLUTEN-FREE SUPPORT GROUP SATURDAY, DECEMBER 27, 2014 - 11 A.M. TO 12 P.M. Ashland Public Library, 410 Siskiyou Boulevard, Ashland, OR For more information call: 541.479.1289

CRAVINGS & WEIGHT GAIN AND THE BLOOD SUGAR ROLLERCOASTER SUNDAY, DECEMBER 28, 2014 – 2 P.M. TO 3:30 P.M. Natural Grocers, 1990 North Pacific Highway, Medford, OR For more information call: 541.245.0100

December 1, 2014 • Oregon Healthy Living

23