ALTHOUGH she left Jamaica some 46 years ago, Dr Paula Anderson-Worts is committed to giving back to her island home.

The coordinator of the Jamaica Medical Mission, along with fellow Jamaican Don Daly, has since 2001 organised the United States-based mission which has provided free medical attention to more than 65,000 Jamaicans.

Now the family medicine residency programme director at the Florida-based Nova Southeastern University, Anderson-Worts left Jamaica at age two but with her family originally being from Linstead, St Catherine, and Oracabessa, St Mary, she never forgot

her roots.

“I have very strong ties to my roots because my parents were very diligent in making sure that we came back at least once a year,” Anderson-Worts told the Jamaica Observer in an interview last Thursday.

The coordinator envisioned participating in medical outreach since she was 16 years old. So when she was approached by a group of students for whom she was the faculty advisor about coming to Jamaica, “I said to them you don’t have to twist my arm, I am Jamaican, so let’s do it”.

The first trip was 14 years ago and since then, the team has been visiting Jamaica twice yearly.

A mission that started with 55 health professionals has grown to more than 160 volunteers to date, several of whom are repeat volunteers and include doctors, dentists, optometrists, physical therapists, occupational therapists, and pharmacists.

“We have a better impact when we are treating the same areas, getting to know their needs and are able to provide better care when we are going to specific areas rather than jumping around,” Anderson-Worts explained.

“You make more of an impact in terms of education and being able to follow-up on people who look for you to come only once per year. Although it’s not ideal, it does provide a need for some people who otherwise would not get treatment at all,” Anderson-Worts continued.

She keeps coming back.

“I think because the people are so appreciative and then there is a great need, there is a great fulfilment in giving back to my country,” Anderson-Worts said, adding, “so that’s what keeps us coming back, for me in particular, for so long.”

After studying Biology at the University of Miami she went on to complete her medical degree at the Nova Southeastern University College of Osteopathic Medicine before completing her residency at the Sun Coast Hospital in Largo, Florida. Anderson-Worts went back to school, this time to complete her Master’s in Public Health at Nova Southeastern University and decided to concentrate on family medicine.

“I felt that (family medicine) was the speciality that would allow me to fulfil my dream of being in medical outreach because I have to treat paediatric patients, adolescents and adults, and so I thought that would (adequately) equip me,” Anderson-Worts told the Sunday Observer. “Plus, I am very curious about how my patients improve.

“I went into medicine for prevention, and the best way to be able to prevent is when you are seeing patients on a regular basis and you get to not only know their medical history, but information about their family and even treat their family members,” she continued.

Anderson-Worts said that starting the Jamaica Medical Mission was not easy but credited the institution for which she works for facilitating the mission.

“I am fortunate to be at an institution that has a lot of health professionals, so I have many of the disciplines there at my fingertips,” she stated. “But just taking over 100 people would be challenging because it takes a lot of co-ordination.”

So how did she meet fellow coordinator Jamaican-born Daly, a match she has described as one “made in Heaven”?

Anderson-Worts explained that after students expressed an interest in visiting Jamaica, one of the students met Daly through a mutual contact who knew him as a radio personality who was looking to do an initiative in Jamaica.

“The individual introduced the student and then he brought both of us together and since that time we really complement each other on our skills,” said Anderson-Worts. “So he was able to help us with the logistics in Jamaica just because of his contacts here and I was able, because I had all the health professionals at my institution, to pull the various disciplines together.”

At a press briefing held on June 3 before the start of the mission which took volunteers to several locations in Kingston, St Ann and St Mary from Thursday, June 5 to Wednesday, June 11, Daly said Anderson-Worts drives the mission.

“There is no me without Dr Paula Anderson-Worts and I want that to go on record, because she is the driving force behind this mission,” Daly said. “She is that doctor that handles everything at Nova Southeastern University in terms of getting the mission together to come here.

“We work together so well and I think that is a big part of this programme… the work gets done because she is very attentive and is committed to this cause,” Daly continued.

Anderson-Worts remains steadfast on her mission to fulfil her purpose.

“The thing that motivates me the most is that I believe that when you find your purpose in life it gives you unspeakable joy and I believe I was created to serve others and there is no better way to get joy than through fulfilling not only your purpose, your passion, but (also) giving to others,” Anderson-Worts told the Sunday Observer. “Mine is very spiritually rooted, I am very clear as to why I was put on this Earth, so being able to serve others is what motivates me.

“When you are blessed, it is because you are expected to bless others, so I am very fortunate to know why I am here and being able to fulfil it,” she continued.

Some of the locations the team visited include: Four Square, Cassia Park; Mandela Centre, Hagley Park Road; the Tower Street Correctional Facility; and the Maxfield Avenue Health Centre all in Kingston, as well as Flint River Clinic, and Marlborough in St Mary.