Running Through New Doors celebrating We are our 35th anniversary, this year, but we want to make sure we also touch on the communities we work with. After all, we are partners, and these past decades of service would not have been possible otherwise. While the Pacific islands are often discussed as being on the frontline of climate change, there are other important political and social changes. Take the Republic of the Marshall Islands. The country recently elected its first female head of state: President Hilda Heine. Her daughter, Kathy Jetnil-Kijiner, performed at the 2014 United Nations Climate Summit. These are notable steps toward a better world and, like the Marshall Islands, Micronesia as a whole is leaving a trace on the world stage as it advocates for peace, environmental justice, and the rights of small nations. We are honored to work in such an incredible, beautiful, and inspiring specialty region, and we hope this is reflected in our impact. Some of our teams, such as our ear, nose, and throat and orthopedic surgery groups, provide about $1 million worth of care during each mission. Others, like our ophthalmology teams, restore sight to over 100 patients through free health care. Our Wellness Center continues to be the standard for lifestyle health education in the Marshall Islands, where we reach over 3,000 people annually and provide the knowledge and skills they need to take charge of their health. We’re happy for all of this— for reaching 35 years of service, for providing high values of service, for improving more lives than ever. But we’re even more excited about the direction in which we’re heading. Our specialty teams are beginning to show their longterm impacts. Recent dental teams 9 | Fall 2016 Canvasback Missions
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