12 May 2016

DoctorSHARE Volunteer Scratches: Keep Working!

Share

When I was a child, I never had the slightest desire to become a nurse. Not because I didn’t like the profession, but because I wasn’t sure I would be able to get a nursing education considering that I came from a very modest family and education is not cheap.

If I could choose, I would have asked God to be born into a well-off family so that I could get an education wherever I wanted. But I am grateful for every breath of life that God has given me. I believe that behind everything, God has an extraordinary plan. And this is God’s plan: to always give help in time.

After completing three years of volunteering for children with special needs with a social foundation in Kei Kecil, Southeast Maluku, God allowed me to meet Dr. Lie Dharmawan. It was through him that I was able to attend the Husada Nursing Academy in Jakarta. I am one of a thousand people lucky enough to receive free education and become a doctorSHARE volunteer.

Is it still not enough? No! Everything is perfect.

Being a doctorSHARE volunteer is really fun. I got not only medical knowledge but also social knowledge. I can learn to know other people’s personalities, meet many friends, socialize with many people, learn the culture and customs of various tribes in Indonesia, become close to God’s creation, and really…. doctorSHARE you are my everything.

It has been two years since I joined as a doctorSHARE volunteer. Based on my experience, it turns out that there are so many Indonesians who have not been able to gain access and financially sufficient to get good health services.

In my opinion, Indonesians are quite concerned about the importance of health but the difficult access, lack of finances and lack of knowledge make them seem indifferent to health issues. There are so many stories from the other side of the island and the reasons why they delay going to the hospital or health center.

Some concrete examples that come from their lips are the lack of finances, the difficulty of reaching the hospital and the absence of medical personnel in an area. Patients who come to Dr. Lie Dharmawan Floating Hospital usually have been sick for 5 – 15 years. This is not a short time. They have to suffer longer.

In this condition, how can they work to fulfill their family’s needs? New problems must arise. Many of them say that when they are sick, they only drink concoctions of tree bark, leaves and plant roots. They hope that these concoctions can alleviate and even cure the disease.

It breaks my heart to see and hear this. It is very different from urban areas where people can get good health facilities, easy access, and sufficient finances.

doctorSHARE offers an excellent solution to help the Indonesian government realize Healthy Indonesia. The community is very grateful and friendly in welcoming the doctorSHARE team through the Floating Hospital and Flying Doctors. They always hope that we will continue to work and one day return to their area.

As a volunteer, I am very impressed with doctorSHARE’s selfless service. Thousands of lives have been saved. It’s not easy to do it all considering the many things that have to be sacrificed in terms of time, energy and money.

I used to always ask myself why health is expensive. When I became a doctorSHARE volunteer, that question was answered. As a volunteer who conducts stock-taking, the cost of medicines and medical devices is not cheap. Dr. Lie always said that if you want to provide good health services, all medicines and devices should be procured. To make it happen, it definitely requires a lot of funds.

I am grateful that there are many Indonesians who care about others by donating so that doctorSHARE is still working today. Thank you God, thank you everyone. Keep working doctorSHARE friends. God be with you!