The IHI2009 Team

From left to right: Amanda, Kerry-Ann, Ian, Larissa, Anna

Amanda Musto

Amanda Musto is excited and honoured to be a part of India Health Initiative team for 2009.  She received her undergraduate degree in psychology at the University of Toronto and is currently in her first year of occupational therapy here at Western.  Amanda recently returned from a year long trip to Australia and South East Asia.  Her experiences in Cambodia inspired her to pursue a career in Occupational Therapy in hopes to improve the health and life of those less fortunate around the world.  Being a part of this amazing team is an extraordinary opportunity to help achieve this dream

Larissa Andaya Serrano

Hello, my name is Larissa Andaya Serrano and I am a 2nd year nursing student. At this point I have not decided on a specialty yet because there are still many areas of nursing that I have not yet explored. However, geriatric medicine seemed to have caught my attention. Ultimately, my goal in nursing is to join the team Medecins Sans Frontieres/Doctors Without Borders but international experience is required. IHI is not only a great opportunity to expand on my nursing skills, but it also helps me to be one step closer to my dreams. > I am very excited and proud to be on the IHI 2009 team and I can't await the new challenges that face us in India. Knowing that in a few months we will be helping others in a way that I have never experienced before brings such overwhelming joy and excitement. Thank you so much for your interest and support to the goal of IHI.

Anna Njarlangattil

Hello! I am a first year medical student at the Schulich School of Medicine at the University of Western Ontario. I completed my undergraduate degree in medical sciences at Western as well but I have spent the majority of my life overseas, including India. My experiences living in India drew me to this cause as I strongly believe that change is needed to improve the health of the underprivileged, whatever country they live in. I aspire to become a family doctor who is aware of the needs of the different populations that reside in our diverse community, and I believe that my involvement with the India Health Initiative will help me achieve this.

Kerry-Ann Suteu

Hello, my name is Kerry Ann Suteu and I am a first year occupational therapy student here at Western. I am originally from Thunder Bay and graduated from kinesiology at Lakehead University in 2007. I began working with adults with disabilities on a volunteer basis at the Canada Games Complex in Thunder Bay. I enjoyed it so much that I pursued respite work with children and young adults with disabilities as a part time job while completing my degree. It was through talk with parents of children with autism that I began to explore the idea of doing graduate studies in occupational therapy. This trip to India will be the perfect place for me to take my previous experience and combine it with what I've learned so far to explore working with people with disabilities abroad. I am looking forward to this trip to India as a way to learn about cross-cultural care and the different practices used in health care.

Ian Pereira

My name is Ian Pereira and I am a 1st year medical student at the Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry at the University of Western Ontario.  Prior to starting my medical education, I completed a BASc in Engineering though the Engineering Science program at the University of Toronto.  My past experiences include research in stem cell engineering and biomechanics at the Institute of Biomaterials and Biomedical Engineering at UofT, electrical power systems project planning and system analyses at the Ontario Power Authority, and international development community outreach work through Engineers without Borders.  I am looking forward to using my experiences to lead a research project in India through IHI.

The IHI2009 Mission

For the summer of 2009, IHI2009 plans to work with the following NGOs:

Amar Seva Sangam

Located in a beautiful valley in the state of Tamil Nadu, Amar Seva Sangam (ASSA) is literally a haven for the underprivileged and disabled to excel. ASSA is dedicated to providing rehabilitation and education to Indian youths on its 26-acre campus, which contains clinical, primary school, and vocational training facilities. www.amarseva.org

 

Amar Jyoti Rehabilitation School

Located in the northern city of Delhi, this amazing school encompasses a multidisciplinary approach to the health and well-being of children with developmental disabilities. One half of the compound contains a medical wing with a rotating list of specialists who visit during the week to provide aid to school children and local residents for either minimal or no charge, a physiotherapy wing, and occupational therapy wing, a homeopathic clinic, seminar rooms for case conferences, a prosthetics shop, and a vocational training unit. The other half of the compound contains a school that caters to the blind, deaf, deaf-blind, cognitive deficit, and physically disabled children. The school is an integrated school with children without identified disabilities.

 

Families For Children (FFC)

FFC is a non-profit, nonsectarian agency operating homes that care for hundreds of destitute children and women. FFC accepts all women and children in to their homes regardless of physical or mental handicaps. The site provides schooling for preschoolers and all other children are given the opportunity to attend local schooling. Students will help by donating school and childcare supplies to the organization. While there, students will provide classes and workshops on basic CPR and First Aid training. There is also opportunity for the Occupational Therapists and Nurse to assist in providing care to the children and mothers in need.

 

Shanthi Bhavan

Shanthi Bhavan is one of three projects initiated by the St. Thomas Charitable Trust in Tamil Nadu, India. This appropriately titled ‘peaceful house’ (shanthi: peace, bhavan: h-use), is home to over sixty poor, underprivileged and elderly individuals that were found abandoned on the streets. This mission also supplies a community hospital and most recently has undertaken construction of Abhayam, a palliative care centre for cancer patients. shanthibhavan.com