MedShare Outfits Bay Area Surgical Mission Team Headed to Philippines

BASM Again on Track to Perform 250+ Life-changing Surgeries

Every year, Bay Area Surgical Mission in San Francisco organizes a medical mission to Camarines Norte in the Philippines, involving around 30 dedicated volunteers, primarily from Kaiser Permanente. During a typical week-long mission, these volunteers perform approximately 250 surgeries, significantly impacting the lives of patients and their families.

For BASM’s upcoming surgical mission in February 2025, MedShare was proud to have been able to donate over $105,000 in supplies to support their efforts.

For more than 15 years, BASM has served communities in Camarines Norte, a remote province of the Philippines. The total population of the province is approximately 515,000 people, with almost 20 percent residing in the capital of Daet. Subsistence farming and fishing are the predominant occupations in this region.

The poor in Camarines Norte have virtually no access to modern medical services of any kind. In fact, many of the people who receive care from BASM must travel from remote island areas to take advantage of the opportunity to receive healthcare.

Referrals from local doctors, local radio announcements and word of mouth drive patient participation. Patients are carefully screened to ensure proper care is provided for many common afflictions such as ovarian cysts, cleft palates, enlarged thyroids, hernias, tumors, cataracts, or appendicitis, for if these conditions progress unchecked, they often become debilitating or even life-threatening.

MedShare applauds the dedication and passion with which BASM delivers on its mission. We are proud to be able to partner with such an incredibly worthy organization.

About Bay Area Surgical Mission
We are a small group of volunteer physicians, nurses and medical technicians who envision a world where the underserved can access necessary medical care without financial barriers.