Baxter Health Fulton County Hospital Physician and Nurse Join Medical Mission to Peru

At home, Dr. Adam Gray treats patients in two fully-equipped facilities in north central Arkansas. In Cajamarca, Peru, he knelt beside people who had almost nothing and who thanked him as though he had given them everything.

First Baptist Church in Melbourne has coordinated and supported an annual medical mission to Cajamarca for a number of years. Gray said he felt led for some time to make the trip, but he was busy with his own career and raising children. As his children got older, the pull to serve was still there, so this year he volunteered. His decision to go on this trip – which spanned from May 17 to May 25 – was bolstered by his brother and son agreeing to attend as well. Gray’s brother is a retired dentist and his son plans to attend medical school, so they all felt confi dent that they could use their gifts to help the residents of Cajamarca.

“I believe there were 31 of us from our group here, and then we met up with another group of around 15 or 20 when we got there,” Gray said. “We spent four or five days doing clinic work in several locations.”

Gray serves as an emergency room physician at Baxter Health Fulton County Hospital and is also in family practice at Baxter Health Family Clinic at Melbourne. He is accustomed to caring for patients in a rural area who have little means, but what he saw in Peru gave him a whole new perspective on poverty and its impacts. “I was totally taken aback by the absolute destitution,” he said. “We talk about poverty in the US, but this was on a whole other level. These people do not have access to any clean drinking water or toileting facilities of any type; these people have to drive 15 to 20 miles to be seen by any type of medical professional, but they don’t have vehicles. They also have very little knowledge about how to personally care for themselves in even the most basic ways.”

Gray expressed appreciation to administration at Baxter Health Fulton County Hospital who agreed to donate medications for use on the mission. “Fulton County Hospital was kind enough to donate a large amount of medications to take,” he said. “We were very appreciative of that, because these people don’t have access to any type of vitamins, Tylenol, ibuprofen, or antibiotics for any infections. So we were much more prepared going down there to be able to dispense things from our pharmacy.”

Gray went on to say that having those medications allowed the group to treat toothaches, general aches and pains, chronic pain conditions and various types of infections. “We wouldn’t have been able to do that without the hospital’s help, so we’re very appreciative of that,” he said.

In addition to the medication donation and Gray’s presence, Baxter Health Fulton County Hospital was also represented by Rachel Delargy, RN. Delargy was moved by the interactions with the patients they served. “Meaningful connections that will last a lifetime were built,” she said. “Some of my favorite memories were helping a young man in a wheelchair with wound care and helping young children with eye glasses that they never would have been able to have otherwise. I was able to help an elderly gentleman hear again by cleaning out his ears, and he cried hugging me.”

Gray encourages anyone – even if they do not work in the healthcare field – to participate in a mission like this. “A lot of people who went on this trip had no healthcare experience, but they functioned in a support role, he said. “They painted little girls’ fingernails, gave them stuffed animals, gathered information we needed, helped the patients fill out paperwork, and they just really functioned in a support role. And of course I would encourage anyone who works in the healthcare field to go do something like this as a way to give back to humanity in a way that you really can’t do here. Honestly, you can’t imagine the looks on these people’s faces. Every one of them said thank you for anything you did for them. That really puts some wind in your sails as a provider.”

Delargy echoed Gray’s sentiments about the impacts of the trip. “This mission was a life-changing experience for our team,” she said. We are hopeful we made a difference in the lives of others.”

After the medical mission was complete, the participants were able to see a few sites. They flew back to Lima and then to Cusco, which is the capital of the old Incan Empire. “And then we got to go up to Machu Picchu and sightsee there for an afternoon,” Gray said.

Those interested in providing future support for this mission may contact Melbourne First Baptist Church at (870) 368-4369.