Doctors Without Borders

Gramicci loves to dress people who inspire us. Dr. Thomas Perry, of Redding, California, is an inspiration to many people (And happens to be the father of one of our great Gramicci ambassadors. —Sarah Mark). He is an OB/GYN doctor who spends 3-4 weeks a year donating his time to work at a hospital in Gabon, Africa. On his most recent trip in, he got great use out of some of our key Quick Dry items: the Kick It Zip Off Pant & the Game Fisher Shirt. We thought we’d ask him more about his travels to Africa and share with you more about his experiences.

How long have you been a doctor? Since 1976.

What made you specialize in OB/GYN? I really enjoy the surgical aspect, but mostly I enjoy bringing new life into the world and connecting with patients and their families in such a special time in their lives.

What is the name of the hospital and the town it is located in? The hospital is called Bongolo Christian Hospital and is located in Lebamba, Gabon, in eastern equatorial Africa.

Can you tell us more about the hospital in Gabon & how you got involved with that particular hospital? In 1991, I started corresponding with Dr. David Thompson, a general surgeon who has been living in Gabon since 1977. What first started as a small medical clinic is now a major hospital with over a hundred beds. The hospital also serves as a residency training hospital for African physicians. Dr. Thompson is a true visionary and I really connect with the vision for the hospital being a training center for African doctors. It encourages doctors to go back to their own countries to practice medicine, instead of moving to a place like Europe or America to practice medicine. The need in Africa is so great. It is estimated that there is one million people per every trained surgeon in Africa!

This hospital is part of a network of hospitals called the Pan African Academy Surgeons, which focuses on training physicians and encouraging them to practice in their own country or other countries in Africa. The other hospitals that are also a part of this network are in Camaroon, Ethiopia, Kenya & Guinea. These hospitals focus on inviting highly qualified surgeons from other countries to teach the African doctors the most current surgical techniques. Like myself, most doctors that are invited end up coming repeated times and also help to bring much needed medical supplies.

Many surgeons trained in these hospitals end up becoming a director of a hospital in their own countries, or also end up being a Minister of Health. When these doctors begin to get involved in politics in their own country, then that is where they are able to implement systems for change to help the overall country’s population.

The Bongolo Hospital serves about 250,000 people — mainly the native people living in the remote jungles and people considered the outcasts with tuberculosis, AIDS, etc.

Can you describe what the journey is like, getting to a place like this? For me, the journey starts with flying from SanFrancisco to Paris. Then typically a ten hour layover before flying from Paris to Liberville, the capital city of Gabon on the West Coast of Africa. From there, we take a small bush plane for an hour into the heart of the jungle. Then we take a three hour drive on rough logging roads through the jungle to get to the hospital.

What is the weather & the landscape like there? Gabon is on the equator, so it is a complete dense jungle with beautiful birds, flowers and rivers. There are also a lot of insects & poisonous snakes. When walking from our huts to the hospital, we all carry a machete. As far as weather, there is a dry season & a wet season. I try to go in the dry season, where it is still 90 degrees and 80% humidity.

What are some of the dangers of going to and being in a place like Gabon? There are mainly dangers with the road & weather conditions. One time there were heavy rains which can quickly turn into rivers & our car had to drive through a river to continue on the roads. Also, if something happens & you break down, you could be stuck for over 24 hours; There is no AAA roadside assistance!

Can you describe the purpose of your trips to Gabon? I have been invited to bring my medical expertise to train doctors in the OB/GYN surgical techniques and to keep them updated on new technologies in the field.

What is the most intense situation you’ve been in while practicing medicine in Gabon? The most intense medical situation I’ve had to deal with are with women with tubal pregnancies, which are very common in Africa, because of the high rate of STDs. Typically, they have severe internal bleeding and if we don’t operate quickly, they can die. On this last trip, I was able to save about four patients by operating on them very quickly.

Can you tell us any specific stories about any patients you remember? There was a pregnant woman who came in a few days before her due date because her baby had stopped moving. Last year at the same time, she came to the hospital and gave birth to a still born. I asked the nurse, “Where is the fetal monitor we sent you a few months ago?” She showed me where it was-- still sitting on the shelf still in the box we had sent it in. The nurse didn’t know how to use the monitor, so I quickly hooked it up, showed the nurse how to use it, and we came to realize that this woman’s baby had an irregular heart beat and was beginning to die. We quickly did a c-section and was able to save the baby’s life.

What is the driving force in your life that keeps you going to a place like this? The excitement of knowing that I can make a difference in people’s lives—especially the young doctors and I really enjoy teaching them.

What would be your words of advice to young doctors just starting out in their career? I would advise young doctors to not be self-absorbed with themselves but encourage them to be a servant to serve the under-served with the gifts that they have been given. I would tell them that they have been given a gift of intelligence & abilities and to be able to give back to society & the world without expecting anything in return is the true path to fulfillment.

How has your life changed since you started going to Gabon? Going to Gabon has helped me see my patients and where I live in a different light-- to be more compassionate & tolerant of difficult situations.

How are you able to cope being in a place like Africa, when faced with such suffering and extreme need? I try to remember that I may not have the cure for cancer, but I can put a band-aid on the cancer. Eventually, the band-aid will help heal the cancer and from 2002-2007, every time I come, I see amazing progress, which is very encouraging.

What are some things people can do who want to help others in a developing country — but maybe can’t get there themselves? There are many great organizations to get involved with but you first must do extensive research to ensure your money is really going to the people in need. Education is in the biggest need for change in Africa. If you can simply sponsor one child’s education, you have changed not only that one child’s life, but think of that African surgeon who is responsible for nearly a million people.

When is your next trip? My wife and I are planning on going to a new hospital opening in Mali, which apparently has a very high infant mortality rate. I will be teaching the doctors there.

To learn more about doctors making a difference, visit doctorswithoutborders.org