Hundreds of Nicaraguans in need of medical care recently received treatment thanks to a team of volunteers including sales rep Nicole Werkman of Sutton Group Summit Realty in Mississauga, Ont.

Nicaragua is a Central American country with a population of more than six million people subsisting on an average income of $2,600 per year.  Werkman travelled to Nicaragua in February with Volunteers in Medical Missions (VIMM) and her travel was partially financed by a charitable fund established by the brokerage.

“Our eight-person team consisted of two medical doctors, one physician’s assistant, two nurses, one health care worker, one teacher and I assisted as a translator,” says Werkman.  “Overall, we saw 680 patients during the week.”

Among the patients were a mother and her children who travelled four hours by horseback to attend a clinic.

“Our first two days of clinics were in the town of Casares, which is a quaint fishing village on the Pacific.  The people were poor, but happy.  They were thankful to see the doctors and receive medications,” says Werkman. “The following two days, we did a clinic in La Boquita, at a local church.  Michelle, the teacher, kept the children busy with crafts, songs and activities.  Our final and busiest clinic was held in the village of Huehuete at a government facility.”

This trip to Nicaragua was Nicole’s seventh volunteer mission.  She has assisted on three medical missions (one with VIMM and two with Medical Ministry International) and has taken four trips to Mexico to help build an orphanage.