It’s natural to envision white-sandy beaches, guided boat tours on glassy water, exotic fresh seafood and cheap massages when visiting Southern Asia. Forget about your nine to five, kick your feet up, soak up all the sights and relax amongst the other tourists, right? As a proud Filipino, my dream of going to the Philippines for the first time would be along the lines of soaking in the sun without moving a muscle. That’s of course how vacations are supposed to be south of the equator. I soon found out that that would be reserved for another trip, which believe it or not, wasn’t a bad thing.
Ready for action!
SIGN Fracture Care International, the miraculous organization that provides orthopedic support to all four corners of the earth, offered me an opportunity of a lifetime to follow them around and document them as they help and heal the injured. Dr. Lewis Zirkle and Jeanne Dillner, founder and CEO of SIGN, travel to these developing countries and are committed to training local surgeons on the proper practice of implanting an innovative tool, the SIGN Nail Implant. These implants are manufactured and distributed, for free, all over the world.
I can’t help but notice the motorcycles and scooters that swarm this foreign metropolis. The smell of exhaust and gasoline permeates the air. Traffic is pure chaos.
First stop was Phnom Penh, Cambodia. After 20 hours of napping, watching almost every Lord of the Rings movie, failed attempts at striking up conversations with non-English speaking passengers and finally reading more than my usual 10 pages of a book at time, I am able to set foot in Asia. You know that feeling of heat and humidity when you walk into a sauna? The feeling of hot, damp, exhaust-heavy air hitting my face was Cambodia’s way of saying hello.
Dalik, a respected surgeon and our guide, picks me up from the airport and weaves through traffic like a man on a mission. I can’t help but notice the motorcycles and scooters that swarm this foreign metropolis. The smell of exhaust and gasoline permeates the air. Traffic is pure chaos. There are hardly any traffic lights and traffic signs are non-existent. Cars, motorcycles and pedestrians narrowly avoid each other by inches. I can’t pick my jaw off the floor. How can this be safe? Is there any order? I quickly realize why there’s a problem and why SIGN is needed here.
I can’t help but admire the great work that Dr. Zirkle and Jeanne put into these visits. Patient after patient, hour after hour Dr. Zirkle, with incredible patience, teaches these young ambitious surgeons how the SIGN Nail is implanted.
Motorcycles and scooters are the most efficient way to get around developing countries like Cambodia. It’s also the cause of a majority of traffic deaths and injuries. These machines are made for one person, but many of the locals feel that they can push the limits. To my astonishment, I quickly realized that hauling around a family of five on a motorcycle is common practice.
Children are usually perched on the handlebars – without a helmet. Helmets, speeding limits and driving licenses aren’t enforced. It’s not hard to see why traffic accidents are and have been a widespread epidemic in developing countries.
After a week in Cambodia, I take a much shorter flight to the Philippines. In the Philippines, motorcycles aren’t as popular because the all mighty Jeepney has replaced them. Jeepneys are leftover military jeeps from the United States that have been converted into miniature buses. These buses can carry up to two dozen people and (surprise, surprise) safety is not a priority. Seatbelts are non-existent and some passengers are even allowed to ride on the roof. What could go wrong?
SEE THE WORK WE DID FOR SIGN
In the hospitals, there is no room for new patients, but they can’t turn anyone away. You know that occupancy sign you sometimes see limiting the amount of people in a room? Well there’s no limiting going on here. There’s a look of complete despair on many of the patients who are confined to a cast and small bed. Men and women are devastated that they can’t provide for their family. A big part of their pride has been ripped away. Their kids innocently play soccer 
nearby oblivious to the fact that their parents don’t know when they’ll get them their next meal. I hadn’t realized how an injury from a traffic accident could affect so many people. When the breadwinner gets injured the family often goes deeper into poverty because nobody’s paying for the roof over their head. Nobody’s paying for the clean water or the bowl of rice for dinner. I can’t imagine how awful that situation would be. Without SIGN, a lot more fathers and mothers would have to wait months to support their family again. The wait is due to the fact that they can’t afford surgery and they often have to wait until they can some how, some way come up with money to cover the cost. As you can see, it’s absolutely crucial to get the provider back on their feet as soon as possible to keep them and their family above water. If not, the family could go into poverty for as many as three generations.
My mom grew up in poverty in the Philippines and my dad witnessed the poor living conditions first hand when he was stationed there for the military.
I can’t help but admire the great work that Dr. Zirkle and Jeanne put into these visits. Patient after patient, hour after hour Dr. Zirkle, with incredible patience, teaches these young ambitious surgeons how the SIGN Nail is implanted. There are a number of challenges to overcome. Explaining surgical techniques when there’s a language barrier isn’t the easiest thing to do and these operating rooms usually don’t have updated amenities like the operating rooms stateside do. Some of the equipment is extremely outdated. To do the drilling, an ordinary household drill you and I buy at Home Depot is used. The absence of air conditioning immediately becomes apparent. Nobody complains though as it seems that every surgeon in the hospital is there watching Dr. Zirkle do what he’s mastered. The local surgeons are franticly taking notes and constantly re-positioning to make sure they don’t miss anything. It’s clear that Dr. Zirkle and the Cambodian and Filipino surgeons are truly passionate about helping people get better faster.
My mom grew up in poverty in the Philippines and my dad witnessed the poor living conditions first hand when he was stationed there for the military. They both wanted more for their children. Growing up, I got my Big Wheel that I “couldn’t live without.” I got my wish to hang out with Mickey in Disneyland. I got what all my other friends had – a new Playstation. I never listened when my parents told us we were lucky to have what we had. After seeing poverty first hand, I can truly say that I understand. It was a shock to be in the thick of it. It’s a bitter-sweet feeling because seeing rough living conditions is hard, but seeing them with their heads up high and making do with what they have with a smile on their face gives me hope.
I wish I could do more to help these people. I can’t help but feel that I have a special connection to them – no matter the distance. It was an honor to be a part of SIGN’s mission of healing. They have repaired the lives of tens of thousands of people and continue to take great strides. More people need to know about it. More people need to join the movement. ♦
For more information about SIGN Fracture Care International and how you can help, please visit signfracturecare.org
