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NEWPORT – South Pend Oreille Fire and Rescue Chief/ Paramedic Shane Stocking will again participate in a medical mission trip to the Puno Region of Peru, specifically the city of Ayaviri, Peru. This is over his 20th medical mission to Peru and Africa, and his ninth to this specific spot with this team. He has been participating in these volunteer missions since 2013.
These are local-led missions. The team brings in the people, supplies and specialists to supplement, not replace existing medical care, as the goal is empowering underserved communities. Past missions have included cooperation and training with militaries, local medical providers and disaster relief.
Specifically, Stocking is one of the mission leaders and organizers. He is the Triage Leader/ EMS Director, primarily focusing on group safety and medical direction. He serves as the main logistical/medicine supplier and is the point of response for any urgent medical needs. He also is the main “I have a question” answerer, though he said he never passes up an opportunity to practice creative medicine or play with the countless kids.
“It’s an honor and blessing to get to serve and lead this mission to Peru,” Stocking said. “I take great pride in delivering high quality care to my neighbors in Pend Oreille County, but there is something special and deeply emotional about caring for the amazing but underserved people in rural Peru.”
This specific mission is an annual mainstay of medical care to the people of Ayaviri. Local teams spend the whole year prepping for the team’s arrival and arranging transport for patients to see the providers. Many patients begin traveling to the mission site the day before and come long distances as this may be the only care they receive all year. The location is approximately 14,000 feet in elevation along the Andes mountains, in a remote area with little access to any advanced care. This is a remote, harsh, dry, and barren mountain climate. The team provides basic primary care, minor surgeries, quality of life interventions, pediatric care, dentistry, physical therapy, psychology, and optometry. They are complete with lab and imaging services, all brought in, and follow-up care or surgery can be arranged on-site and facilitated for continuum of care.
The team numbers about 150 people, with about 50 being North American specialists and 100 Peruvian volunteers. Originally organized and funded by Catholic Charities, the mission itself is non-denominational and is currently sponsored by Bella Health, a health system in Denver, Colorado.
