Message from the President

The George Faile Foundation, Inc.

Message from the President and Board

January 17, 2012
Report to Baptist Medical Dental Fellowship Board

Baptist Medical Centre continues to serve the people of Northern Ghana and surrounding countries, through medical care and evangelism. New additions to the missionary staff include:

Bart and Jane Ann Gibbs, IMB career missionaries-pastor and high school English teacher, respectively
Earl and Mona Hewitt, IMB career missionaries-Family Practice physician and home school teacher, respectively
Joel and Hollie Dickens, long term volunteer missionaries-OB/GYN surgeon and home school teacher, respectively

The above folks all have children living with them on the compound.

Ghanaian physicians Emmanuel and Theresa Bidzakin, both trained in Ghana as general physicians, joined the staff at BMC in October, 2011.

There are possibilities for several other physicians to serve long term at BMC in the near future.

Over 100 volunteer workers continue to augment the staff yearly; these are both practicing/retired physicians and students.

Needs continue to be great at BMC; there are always issues with payment of funds from the government, as well as many patients who are unable to pay. The George Faile Foundation continues to help support the hospital, mainly through scholarships to 4th year students and residents, as well as stipends to physicians who volunteer for a month or more. The GFF also contributes equipment and assists in sending containers once or twice yearly.

All of us associated with Baptist Medical Centre ask that you pray for guidance in supporting this institution as He wishes.

This is a note to us from one of the student volunteers who received a $1000 scholarship:

Dear Faile Foundation,

I have been meaning to write and thank you for the scholarship which allowed me to have the amazing experience of working at the BMC for a month in January. Not only did my medical knowledge grow significantly, but the additional benefits of this experience were numerous and some unforeseen. I gained a clinical confidence for the first time in my medical training, initiated by George and Rich's implied confidence in my decisions, and strengthened by watching the effects of these decisions (or lack of negative outcomes) play out. I learned more about resource limitations, transportation, cultural challenges to care, and the acceptance of our own mortality, than I was aware I did not know. I was surrounded by a group of people who lived Christianity and mercy and generosity in every moment of their day and for the first time I saw this integrated into the practice of medicine as well as the interactions with coworkers. Overall I guess this is all to say that I really appreciated the scholarship which made the difference in my decision to go to Nalerigu and experience something that I see changing the direction of my medical career. Thanks again, good luck in the future and I hope to be involved again someday soon.

Sincerely,

Myrill Solaski

We wanted to highlight Amy Elrod, a nurse practitioner who spent the last four months of 2009 at the hospital. Visit her blog! We also did a small piece about Amy in our Winter 2010 newsletter Operating for Christ.

On September 12, 2008, Foundation President Paul Shumpert forwarded a report from Janie Hemphill, a University of Missouri - Kansas City medical student. Ms. Hemphill recently returned from a 5-week trip to the Baptist Medical Centre in Nalerigu. Back in March, the Foundation sent Ms. Hemphill some money to support her trip. Read her report!

In August, 2008, Dr. Faile reported the following and send the pictures below:

We have just finished putting in the new floors and I thought you might like to see how some of the areas turned out. We are very happy and think it looks good. We certainly are grateful for the support from the Foundation. I will be putting some pictures and a report on our BMC blog when I get some time.
We are busy right now planning the 50th anniversary celebration. One committee is working on beautifying the grounds and have some good plans for seeing that the outside of the hospital and the grounds look nice.

Hallway along the wards at BMC
Isolation
Main walkway
Men's ward
Walkway to OR
Ward 5 before...
...Ward 5 after

.

Hallway along the wards at BMC

On December 6, 2007, Dr. Faile, via Foundation President Paul Shumpert, requested the following:

Please do not send any expired or short dated drugs. Also, please be aware that we cannot use donated gloves that are powder free as the heat ruins these. We are asking for donations for barrels for shipping ($25 each) and boxes of plastic liners ($30/box).

On September 26, 2007, Dr. Faile, via Foundation President Paul Shumpert, reported the following:

Just wanted to let you know the generator has arrived [at the Baptist Medical Centre in Nalerigu, Ghana], been installed, and ran for an hour without problems.

Thanks to everyone who helped get it here.

The George Faile Foundation | PO Box 212 | Rome, GA 30162-0212 | 706-291-4036| info@failefoundation.org