People, Places & Events

Physicians embark on medical mission to the Philippines
Special to The Monitor
KAUFMAN–For indigent residents of two cities in the Philippines, a visit next week by two Kaufman physicians is more than just a shot in the arm.
Dr. Angelina Rivero, an OB-GYN, and Dr. Manuel Rivero, an internist, will join 10 other doctors of various specialties for a five-day, medical/surgical mission.
Both doctors are on the medical staff of Presbyterian Hospital of Kaufman, which has donated several boxes of supplies for the trip.
They leave Thursday (today).
“The trip truly is a labor of love,” Presbyterian Hospital of Kaufman President Patsy Youngs said.
“I am humbled by the dedication of these physicians to give so selflessly to improve the health of people half a world away who are in need,” she added.
The trip is Rivero’s sixth medical mission to the Philippines in as many years.
She and her husband, both first generation Filipino-Americans, will be traveling with fellow members of the North Texas Association of Philippine Physicians.
The association, which boasts more than 50 members in the North Texas area, organizes a medical mission annually.
“This is our way of giving back,” Angelina Rivero said.
“Many people there are in need of medical attention but have no access to care,” she added.
Other physicians traveling this year include a general surgeon, a pediatric surgeon, a plastic surgeon, and an ear, nose and throat specialist.
“A lot of children there have cleft lip and cleft palate. Our group will be able to perform corrective surgeries for these children and for adults who need surgery for various conditions,” Dr. Rivero said.
During the 2004 trip, the group performed 47 operations in a matter of days.
The Riveros will first travel to Iloilo City on the Iloilo province in the Visaya region of the Philippines.
There, they will embark on the medical portion of their mission, treating local residents for diabetes, high blood pressure, infectious diseases, and other conditions.
They will then travel by ferry to Bacalod City in the province of Negros Occidental, where they will join the surgeons in their group and assist with operations.
Each physician is responsible to fund his or her own travel.
In addition to its annual medical missions, the North Texas Association of Philippine Physicians has partnered with Habitat for Humanity to build a village of 30 homes in another region of the Philippines, Dr. Rivero said.
The homes are built for a mere $1,000 each, and they replace the shanties in which many Filipino families live.
The project is called Gawad Kalinga, which means, “Giving Help.”
The organization of physicians provides the materials and guidance, and Habitat for Humanity builds the homes, Angelina Rivero said.
The group also plants a garden in the village, so residents can grow their own food.
“We want them to become as self-sufficient as possible,” Rivero said.
Giving back to the Filipino people has become a way of life for Angelina and Manuel Rivero.
The couple met in medical school at Far Eastern University and moved to the United States in 1971, after graduation.
Nine years later, they were among the first physicians recruited to join the medical staff of the newly constructed Presbyterian Hospital of Kaufman.

Stroke screening at Mabank Jan. 23
Special to The Monitor
DALLAS–Residents living in and around the Mabank community can be screened to reduce their risk of having a stroke.
The complete screening package now includes a new heart rhythm screening, checking for irregular heartbeat which is a major risk factor for stroke.
Life Line Screening will be at the Tri - County Library 9 a.m. Wednesday, Jan. 23.
The site is located at 132 E. Market St. in Mabank.
A stroke, also known as a “brain attack,” is ranked as the third leading killer in the world.
Screenings are fast, painless and affordable. They help identify potential health problems such as blocked arteries and irregular heart rhythm, abdominal aortic aneurysms, and hardening of the arteries in the legs, which is a strong predictor of heart disease.
A bone density screening to assess osteoporosis risk is also offered and is appropriate for both men and women.
Register for a Wellness Package with Heart Rhythm for $149. All five screenings take 60-90 minutes to complete.
Life Line Screening was established in 1993, and has since become the nation’s leading provider of preventive screenings.
For more information or to schedule an appointment, call 1-888-754-1464. Pre-registration is required.