HERSHEY, Pa. — Alexandra Black, a Penn State Health St. Joseph certified nurse midwife, is heading to the Bahamas Sept. 28 through Oct. 5 with International Medical Relief to provide medical aid to those devastated by Hurricane Dorian.
This will be the first relief mission for Black, who admits everything came together to make this trip a possibility.
Alex Black Credit: Penn State Health / Penn State. Creative Commons
“My PTO time is lined up. I’m in school, and I happen to be on break,” she said. “The stars aligned, so I said, ‘I’ll go.’”
Black and other medical providers will provide aid to the local health care system as it recovers.
“We can expect to treat acute and chronic illness, provide wound care and fill in wherever they need us,” she said. “While we may be in structurally sound buildings, the expectation is that we will do clinics outside under tarps.”
Due to the devastation, volunteers will not have running water, electricity or bathrooms. In addition, they will camp throughout their stay and must bring their own food and water. Despite the conditions, Black looks forward to the trip.
“I am passionate about serving those less fortunate. That is why I became a midwife,” she said. “I feel like I can be of help and service to others in doing this. In the midst of such devastation, maybe I can be a small amount of light.”
Information about supporting Black’s medical mission trip is available on the International Medical Relief website.
Scott Gilbert