November eNewsletter from Los Médicos Voladores

October was both a very wonderful and a very sad month for everyone in LMV. Just after the last newsletter was sent out, longtime pilot and volunteer "Baron" Bob Hecocks passed away unexpectedly. LMV then ran an incredible clinic at Oasis that featured three new programs: educational DVDs, a dental assistant "training" program, and a vision technician "training" program, and served over 1400 people in a single day (and that doesn't include the 1000 free lunches served by the community, free child care and car seats, or CPR classes).

Then we received the devastating news that a mission flight run by a sister organization, Flying Samaritans, crashed near Ensenada, causing the loss of the entire crew of four, including a Reno Chapter LMV member, Roger Lyons. Our hearts go out to their families and similarly to Bob Hecock's family. For more information on the crash and LMV's response, please see the article below.

My apologies to everyone who was helped by and participated in the Oasis clinic if our volunteer work this month seems overshadowed by the terrible news; we will probably have more reports on Oasis next month. Please keep the families affected in your thoughts.

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Special note to LMV couples: ConstantContact has changed their software so that if you share an email address with your spouse, it will only allow one name to be listed. We apologize to those of you who will only see your spouse's name above! We value everyone in our little organization, and we hope you'll forgive us if you're the missing spouse!

October in Oasis

See the photos here.

The October clinic in Oasis exceeded all expectations! Over 1400 patients were seen. Stats are below:

Vision: 365
Dental and Cleaning: 220
Medical: 91
Flu Shots: 304
Mammograms: 115
Diabetes: 112
Chiropractors: 103
Acupuncture: 52
Physical Therapy: 11
Breast Exams: 22
Pain Medicine: 19

Other Programs:
CPR and First Aid: 20
Educational Movies: 200
Car Seats: 60
Child Care: 80

1000 Free lunches served

Total services that patients received: 2,774!

The three new programs (Educational Videos and Dental and Vision Training) were spectacularly successful. Videos were shown to people while they waited to be seen, and many families asked for DVD copies to take home with them. The optometric clinic had similar results, with a big backlog that confirmed our organizers' beliefs that we need to find more optometric volunteers. Reach out to someone you know in the field of optometry!

We hope to have more personal reports for you on Oasis by the December newsletter.

Flying Samaritans Mission Flight Goes Down Near Ensenada

Read the story here: http://edition.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/americas/10/16/mexico.plane.crash/.

Denny Freidig, our chairman, reached out to Flying Samaritans President Victor Jones in the wake of the accident. Several LMV members also attended memorial services.

Below is a copy of the e-letter that Denny sent out to all LMV members:

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Dear LMV Members,

As some of you may have heard over the last few days, a "Flying Samaritans" crew flying out of Ensenada MX on Friday afternoon crashed in the mountains south of Ensenada enroute to a clinic in San Quintin. It is with great sadness that I inform you that there were no survivors. The cause of the accident is still under investigation.

Pilot Roger Lyon of the crew was not only a two year member of "The Flying Samaritans"; but also a new LMV member of our Reno Chapter. Chief Pilot Rob Lober and I felt it was important to inform all LMV members of this tragic accident. We want to assure you that we are making every effort to ensure that our LMV sanctioned flights are performed in the safest manner possible. We continually review and revise our procedures in order to create a safe flying experience for our members. In fact, our next review meeting is already scheduled for Dec. 4th. Be aware however, that as with most things in life, no amount of planning and policymaking can completely eliminate risk.

If you are scheduled to make an LMV trip to MX as a crew member and would like to discuss any concerns regarding flight safety, feel free to contact Rob (Rlober@gmail.com), your chapter pilot, or the pilot of your crew.

In my conversation with FS President Vic Jones yesterday and on behalf of all of LMV, I have expressed our deepest condolences to their organization, and will do so to the family later this week.

Your LMV Chairman,
Denny Freidig

Farewell to "Baron" Bob Hecocks

The History of Oasis
By Dr. Dave Morgan

In the mid 1990's a lady, Rosa Lucas, CFNP at the Santa Rosa Del Valle Medical Group Coachella, saw the great need of uninsured, poor or undocumented people without medical or dental care. Rosa had emailed Jeffrey Hodgson who notified The Flying Doctors several times over the years asking if it were possible for our organization to plan a free clinical trip to their area. Rosa knew about our Mexico missions. In 1996 Mark Lieberman, D.D.S. and I, David Morgan, M.D., flew to Thermal, CA in my Cessna 182 N9126G. Rosa Lucas, Virginia Ortega, Betsy White, Claudia Galvez, Gloria Arrias, Steven Slagle and others directed us to the territory. They took us into several towns and poor country areas to show us the very squalid conditions that thousands of people live under with virtually no medical, dental, optometry or professional care. We agreed to return early in 1997 to treat as many as possible, just one dentist and one medical doctor. Very difficult decisions were made as to where the free clinic could be held. Numerous locations were considered and dismissed. Finally the County of Riverside Fire Station # 42 at OASIS would be the location of our first clinic in 1997. A remote school agreed to have us use their facilities; the OASIS Elementary School, which had more space and rooms for the clinic. The school was near the Salton Sea area with just a store, gas station, a few houses and the OASIS school. A very successful clinic was held at the school twice in 1997 and has continued two times a year to the present time at various locations. We continue to call the mission the OASIS trip.

A medical clinic supervisor, Jamie Robinson, heard and saw what was being accomplished by The Flying Doctors and said "I can organize the local clubs, organizations, support groups, government agencies, and professionals to come in to help these very needy people with LMV help. "Jamie Robinson did just that for LMV and the Community. As the number of Los Medicos Voladores participating members increased and more LMV planes flew in to help, the program grew. Hundreds of people were seen on each trip. The number of patients seen went from dozens to 1200 and more at each biannual clinic. This growth is the result of Jamie Robinson-Hernstat's brilliant efforts.

Then in 1999 U.S. Congress member Mary Bono came to see what LMV was doing. She was very impressed and presented LMV with a "Certificate of Special Congressional Recognition". Milt and Rosie Camp were there when Mary Bono did the inspection and the Recognition was addressed to them and LMV in recognition of outstanding and invaluable service to the community. Mary Bono-Mach is still an elected member of congress for that district. In the year 2000, the Coachella Valley School District took over the organization of each biannual clinic, or Health Faire, as they chose to call it. At that time Lynn Lightcap led out in advertising the LMV clinic and organize, with lots of help, for the whole program. This included Thermal Airport (TRM) discounts on fuel, no parking fees, also to provide LMV flight crews with free vehicles to drive, free restaurants and discounted motel accommodations. Grants to the Coachella Valley School District gave more opportunity to provide multiple types of care and learning opportunities for students and to advertise the LMV clinic. With Lynn working hard with
Mr. Jim Greene and later Sandra Sanchez and Lucy Moreno doing most of the local organization,
the Health Faires continue to be a great success.

On March 21, 2009, V. Manuel Perez member of the California Assembly 80th Assembly District presented David Morgan, M.D. and Jack Chamberlain, D.D.S. a "Certificate of Appreciation" with
the Flying Doctors 2009 In Honor of "your commitment to providing health-care to under-served families for over 30 years".

So now, in 2010, Mr. Greene and Lucy are in charge of the program. We are most fortunate to have worked with about 200 different civic and governmental groups and associations for these many years since 1996. These are actual groups who have helped at one time or another. There may be 10 to 15 different local organization's at any one Health Faire. On March 25, 2010, Los Medicos Voladores was honored by The Coachella Valley Unified School Board of Trustees and Administration. By Proclamation, Proclaiming Saturday March 27, 2010 as Los Medicos Voladores Day! The board honored LMV through Dr. David Morgan for the work throughout Coachella Valley since 1996 for 15 years and 28 missions to their area making a significant impact on the health
and well-being of student's and uninsured families of our community. The seal of the school district was affixed by Elizabeth R. Toledo, President.

LMV has scheduled March 25-27, 2011, for the next mission to Coachella Valley.

Thanks for your time and service!

Sincerely,

Rachel Bernhard
Corporate Newsletter Coordinator, Los Médicos Voladores

Corporate Officers:
Denny Freidig, Chairman
Art Schmauder, Vice Chair
Tom Palmer, Trip Coordinator
Ed Weiss, Treasurer
Aimee Abittan, Secretary
Rachel Bernhard, Newsletter

South Bay Officers:
Steve Los, President
Pedro Rump, Vice President and Membership
Jessica Kuo, Trip Coordinator
Bill Rush, Treasurer
Colleena McHugh, Secretary

Gold Country Officers:
Barbara Gerletti-Weiss, President
Dick Smith, Vice President
Judi Foy, Trip Coordinator
Position to be filled, Treasurer
Janice Rosner, Secretary
Jax Conci, Newsletter

High Sierra Officers:
Wayne McClelland, President
Tamara Anderson, Vice President
Carol Tomasic, Treasurer
Patty Kelley, Secretary

Reno Officers:

Joe DuRousseau, President
John Bocchi, Vice President
Hank Frohlich, Trip Coordinator
Pam Hartz Mayhew, Treasurer
Des Lamb, Secretary and Newsletter

Please go to www.flyingdocs.org, Members tab, and sign in to get contact information for your chapter officers!