Spotlight On: Restore

By Nancy Koziol

It takes the hearts and hands of many volunteers to sort and organize the tons of surplus medical equipment and supplies that MedShare collects, catalogs, and ships to clinics and hospitals in economically developing countries. One very devoted group of volunteers is organized by the Restore Neurobehavioral Center, which is based in Roswell, Georgia (US). Restore's clients include people with brain and spinal cord injuries who come to the center for specialized rehabilitation and treatment.

MedShare and Restore have forged a successful partnership that involves the majority of the 45 clients Restore serves each year. Since 2003, these volunteers have worked tirelessly to sort various surplus medical supplies such as surgical gloves, wound dressings, and surgical drapes. The act of sorting helps improve hand-eye coordination and re-establish counting and reading skills. In addition, the very simple act of being in a work environment has a tremendous therapeutic effect.

Restore staff members who participate in these sorting sessions believe working at MedShare helps their clients prepare to go back into the community. While the staff and clients vary from day to day, their productivity is consistently a great benefit to MedShare and its recipient institutions.

Restore clients are very enthusiastic about their work at MedShare. Longtime Restore volunteer, Jamal, said he likes "helping somebody that needs to be helped" and enjoys the variety of tasks, especially "separating everything out." In general, the clients greatly appreciate doing work of enormous value.

MedShare benefits from this partnership by having consistent, motivated and trained volunteers. Their productivity is obvious to anyone who works with them as they quickly pack boxes and move immediately to the next bag of assorted medical supplies. John Berry, Restore's liaison with MedShare, says the work is "rewarding for clients and very worthwhile."

MedShare works with a variety of social, civic, educational, faith-based and special needs groups who provide invaluable support the processing of donated supplies. Visit http://www.medshare.org/ms.php/donate/volunteer to learn how you can become involved in MedShare's volunteer programs.

Shipment Update

During the month of May, MedShare International shipped containers filled with vital medical supplies and equipment to healthcare institutions in different countries. The recipients were:

• Ethiopia
  Lalibela Hospital
• Jamaica
  Food for the Poor
  (Various Locations)
• Malawi
  Beit CURE Hospital
• St. Lucia
  St. Jude Hospital

For more information and ways to support MedShare International, please visit www.medshare.org or call 770-323-5858.