Physical Therapy Student Recounts Her Experiences on Humanitarian Trip to Jamaica

Author Erin Brown (left) and Jillian Salas (right)

ORLANDO, April 1, 2009 — During spring break this year, I had the privilege of being part of a team of physical therapy students who went to Kingston, Jamaica, to visit orphanages for children with special needs. This opportunity was provided by UCF's physical therapy program along with Florida Hospital SHARES and Hope World Wide. 

Humanitarian work has always been a passion of mine, but until I went on this trip I was not sure how I could make it a part of my life. Now I know that it is not a part of life, it is a way of life, seeing a need and taking intentional steps to make a difference. 

Our team was made up of 13 physical therapy students and three therapists, two of whom are
also professors of ours at UCF — Dr. Judi Schack-Dugre, PT, DPT, MBA, and Ms. Jennifer Tucker,
PT, PCS. We had the opportunity to visit four different children's homes and one school in Kingston.
We performed screenings for infants, developed care plans for 10 different children, spent hours
singing and playing with children who do not have many visitors, fixed multiple wheelchairs, and
educated several care givers in order to improve their efficiency and effectiveness while caring for
these children with special needs.

Repairing a wheelchair

While at times it was difficult to see some of the conditions, it was incredible to see how the simple concepts that we were able to implement into the care plans for these children made a huge difference in their capabilities. Rather than lying on the floor or in bed, the children were able to sit up in a wheelchair and interact with others. Instead of suffering from pain due to poor positioning, they were empowered with stretching plans and seat modifications. 

Initially, I was unsure about how much impact we could have in only three days, but now I am convinced that with such a large group three days is plenty of time to make a difference in many lives. During this trip, we all caught the vision for deliberately finding ways to use our education and skills to help those in need. We all developed a passion to be intimately involved with providing care, not only for those in third-world countries, but also for those right here in our own community who desperately need help. We have seen that while we cannot fix an entire country, one person truly can make a difference.

This trip to Jamaica was an incredible first experience for me, but it will most certainly not be my last.  I cannot wait to go back.

— Erin Brown, UCF Doctor of Physical Therapy student

Evaluating babies	Ready for another day of service