Eastern European Medical Society Members were invited to participate in the humanitarian mission in Honduras.

The Hackett Hemwall Foundation dedicates their time and humanitarian services to people in Honduras, who cannot afford medical care. Other objectives of the foundation are to provide medical doctors an opportunity to further their training and education on prolotherapy and vein sclerotherapy as well as further research concerning the effectiveness of these medical procedures.

Dr. Jeff Patterson, the medical director of the foundation, along with his partner, Mary Doherty, RN, have dedicated long hours to organize these missions. Dr. Carl Osborn and Dr. John Paul Ouellette are the medical educators at the two sites, La Ceiba and Tela, who makes these trips the most educational and amazing for experienced and neophyte physicians in the field of prolotherapy and vein sclerotherapy. The excitement and enthusiasm in learning is insatiable and unparalleled and no other educational conference can compare to the education and experience obtained from this humanitarian trip. Then the camaraderie and newfound friendships that occur in theses missions are most pleasurable and most participants vow to return year after year. Margaret Beckman, a long time resident in La Ceiba, is our host in Honduras, who opens her home to all of us and makes the meals for the whole group, making it easy and comfortable and stress free. The experience has been compared to club med( prolomed)!

Approximately 50 physicians and assistants went to Honduras this year and saw more than 2600 patients during the two-week period. Although prolotherapy is considered alternative therapy, Hippo crates have performed it as early as 400 BC. It is very successful in treating chronic pain complaints related to ligament laxity and tendonitis injuries, which often one time treatment gives most patients long-term relief and cure. Vein sclerotherapy is performed on patients with varicosities that affect the integrity of the soft tissues of the lower extremities.

Three of the physicians are AAPM&R members, who are interested in the alternative treatments for chronic pain. Most doctors interested in prolotherapy are eccentric and open-minded, leading to a more eccentric group of doctors.