Hi everyone! I’ve officially wrapped up my first week here in Brazil and at Hospital de Amor. Throughout the week, I’ve had the opportunity to visit many departments within the hospital, including radiology, the molecular biology laboratory, the breast cancer prevention center, and the mobile unit used to screen for oral cancer throughout the state of São Paulo. I’ve also had the honor of meeting some of the most amazing and welcoming people. Despite the language barrier we often face, the team at Hospital de Amor has gone above and beyond to make us feel welcome in their tight-knit community. This week also marked my very first rodeo ever! Having lived in New York City my whole life, I had no idea what to expect—but let me just say, it exceeded all my expectations in the best way possible. I guess it’s time to add Brazilian country music to my daily playlist!
The hospital itself is truly unlike any I’ve ever seen. The very mission of the hospital makes our work here feel meaningful like we’re actually making a difference in people’s lives. All departments rely solely on donations and fundraising events to provide treatment. This means that families who come here from all across the country have no financial responsibility. Not to mention, the hospital also provides housing completely free of cost for the duration of their treatment.
Earlier this week, we had the opportunity to tag along with one of the mobile units (which is built by the hospital itself in its on-site factory) that was conducting oral cancer screenings. Members of the community had the chance to be seen by a doctor and receive an evaluation to determine whether they had any precancerous lesions that needed attention. That day alone, we saw over 50 patients!
Apart from visiting the various departments in the hospital, we’ve also heard from many PhD and master’s students about their theses and projects that they’ve been working on over the past several months or years. All the students here are working on some of the most incredible projects I’ve ever encountered.
One particular project within the molecular biology department really stood out to me. I had only ever heard about its applications in textbooks, but had never encountered a real-world example. The team is currently using patient-derived cells, growing them in a 3D hydrogel scaffold to create organoid-like models that mimic tumors for use in treatment planning. And that’s just one of the dozens of projects we’ve been introduced to in only a week.
I’m so excited to start working next week and hopefully identify a project that will also lead to meaningful change here in Barretos!