Yesterday’s Democrat & Chronicle ran a story about our very own Dr. Walter Brooks that began:
Walter S. Brooks has photographed the pyramids at Giza. He has captured tufts of low-hanging clouds sweeping across a snowcapped Mount McKinley and images from dozens, if not hundreds, of other exotic locations. But it was a picture of Rochester’s skyline that earned the dermatologist, with residence in Penfield and practice in Greece, first place in the hometown photo contest of Shutterfly, an online photo service…
Click here to read the entire article.
Dear Susan and Bill,
It’s amazing how God works. I was called by the Harter Secrist Law Firm today to purchase the rights to use the image for their annual calendar. Since I refuse to sell my images, I came up with idea of having them make a donation to PanAmHealth in Honduras in lieu of payment. In addition, they would mention this in their calendar and give the website where their clients can also contribute to this non-profit organization In addition, they have a partner who is very interested in pro bono work in developing areas. We’ll see where this takes us.
I just got back from doing a Medical Missions trip in Honduras. This trip to Honduras originated when a Dermatology resident, who had spent 2 years in Venezuela prior to going to medical school, wanted to go to this clinic in Honduras that had been manned by various physicians form the Univ. of Rochester. When he couldn’t get any of the full time faculty
to go, he asked me, knowing my interest in travel and photography. Of course I had to ask the “boss” first…she initially thought I was crazy but then relented. We were joined by a physician boarded in both Internal Medicine and Pediatrics who has gone done to this clinic 10 times in the last 5 years. She had approached the Gates Foundation for funding …she was told that the project was too small. That’s when I told her that we should make this project larger. We could try to set up a prototype for a teledermatology/ telemedicine clinic in one area of Honduras, work the bugs out, and then implement it elsewhere. Once we show that it can be implemented in a couple of areas, we could approach the Gates Foundation with concept of taking this concept to the next level.
So four of us went to San Pedro Sula, Pena Blanca, and Rio Seco to see if we can set up a teledermatology connection with the University of Rochester. Once this is set up than telemedicine can be implemented as well as a website to help coordinate medical missions delivered in the area. Amazingly, sixty percent of those on the plane to San Pedro Sula was on some type of missions trip, with their coordinated yellow T-shirts,etc. After talking to 12 local doctors, nurses and health care providers, it became clear to us how unorganized and inefficient this
delivery of care has become. One village would see 2 brigades within 1 week and another not one brigade in 3 years. If we could only get the organizations to communicate with each other and in turn with the local clinic, the outcome could be so much better. Why not utilize the internet to teach, communicate, and coordinate health care. If the Bedouins can watch Oprah in their tents and individuals in Africa can use satellite internet to scam people of millions of dollars, why not utilize the internet for a good use.
The five days we were in Honduras was quite busy meeting with doctors and nurses at the Public Hospital in San Pedro Sula, and the 3 clinics in Pena Blanca, 80 Km south of San Pedro Sula on Lake Yojoa. We then went to a small village, Rio Seco in the mountains where there was no electricity and the laundromat was the sole stream flowing down the mountain. Living off the land and picking coffee, the villagers eked out an existence. Despite this the kids faces did not reveal their hardships.We then spent some down time in Omoa, on the Northwest shore of Honduras next to Guatemala. 1500 Km and 1100 images not to mention 5 pounds lighter, I returned with a new zest and a renewed sense of purpose. You can see some of our work with our host, the Pan American Health Services, on their website http://www.panamhealth.org.
From Sep 28-Oct 11 I’m going to the World Congress of Dermatology in Buenos Aires. From there to Iguassu Falls and then to Rio de Janeiro. A number of Dermatologists that went to China 10/2000 with PTP (People to People Ambassador program) will be meeting up in Buenos Aires for a
mini-reunion.
Keep in touch. Walter