THOSE FAMILIAR WITH TREK COALITION KNOW THAT—AT ITS FOUNDATION—IT IS AN ORGANIZATION DEDICATED TO BRINGING MEDICAL CARE TO PEOPLE WHO OTHERWISE MIGHT NOT RECEIVE IT. THIS WAS THE IDEA THAT STARTED TREK, AND IT WILL ALWAYS BE THE HEART OF WHAT WE DO. WHAT MANY MAY NOT KNOW IS HOW THE ORGANIZATION HAS ALREADY BEGUN TO EVOLVE INTO SOMETHING MORE.
In the spring of 2017, Trek held its first trip to Ecuador, teaming up with the Partners for Andean Community Health (known in Ecuador as FIBUSPAM) to serve in their mobile clinic. Throughout this and subsequent trips, Trek was able to provide general care, assist with gynecological needs, and provide life-changing eye surgery to many who needed it. So far we have treated 1,527 patients and are excited to see our reach expand in 2019 as a newly-official 501(c)(3) organization.
While this is an amazing place to be after only three years, an additional concern has come to attention through our series of trips: There was a strong need for better patient information management. Doctors with poor records are not able to treat patients with the same efficiency and sometimes lack vital medical history to provide the best care. There currently is no system in place for organizing patient data outside of hospitals in Ecuador. Many patients’ only record is what they themselves remember.
In light of this observation, and upon receiving official 501(c)(3) status, Trek is embarking on a new initiative to compliment our current international trips: creating a better information system. Along with hosting our trip in August, making strides with this new system is our goal for 2019. Trek has already started working in the tech sphere to develop this new electronic health information system specifically to be used in Riobamba, Ecuador in order to coordinate a new surgical cervical cancer screening program. This new system is called TrekCollect and we will be piloting the system on the August trip.
There are many details we’re excited to unveil in the coming months but the best way to stay in the know and get involved is to attend our inaugural fundraising gala in Pittsburgh this September. All proceeds from this event will go directly to Trek’s research and trips as we currently have no overhead costs. To learn more about the gala, please see our website.
If you are not able to attend, all we can ask is that you donate. Whether it’s $5 or $5,000, your donations are the only way Trek can function and provide care to people who have no other means of being treated except through free clinics.
