Hurst Foundation were thrilled to hear about Mercedes Mills' (Shield - 2002) recent trip to Kenya. Mercedes volunteered as the Senior Physiotherapist, working as part of the Trauma Team with Future Health Africa, a charity that aims to reduce suffering, disability, and poverty, particularly due to traumatic injuries - www.futurehealthafrica.org

The financial cost of orthopaedic surgery and physiotherapy is prohibitive for most patients in Kenya, many are not able to pay for treatment which would give a child the chance to walk or enable a parent to return to work to provide for their family. 

Mercedes travelled with a team of 14 clinicians from the UK, providing free surgical care and physiotherapy for patients with traumatic injuries. She worked collaboratively with the local team in the hospital to enhance the delivery of physiotherapeutic care.

Mercedes explained: “Spending time with the Kenyan orthopaedic team and their patients has been extremely rewarding. I loved being able to share knowledge and skills but also understand the way of life in Kenya for so many families. I was moved by the Kenyan patients’ optimism, determination and their thanks for all that we were able to do during our time at the hospital.”