Volunteer Reflection: Neffritte Larkin, RN-Surgical Nurse & Sterilization Tech

Laisamis Sub-County Referral Hospital, Kenya

August 10-14, 2026

“Educate, heal, transform” (Mission To Heal t-shirt) “Furthest People First” (my interpretation)

I was honored again to have participated in my second mission with Mission to Heal (M2H) with Drs Geelhoed, Olsen, Sepulveda, Juma, other local medical, surgical, and anesthesia staff, and Medical Student Heran.

“EDUCATE”-- Dr. Geelhoed presented critical data to local providers; I call him “The Walking Encyclopedia”! And local providers, in turn, imparted their knowledge and case studies.

I made a presentation on aseptic technique and instrument cleaning/disinfection/sterilization protocols to local health care providers. Dr. Olsen schooled me in the use of a portable steam sterilizer, AKA, pressure cooker! I also assisted in organizing instruments in peel packs, having them and other supplies ready for use in the Operating Room, and cleaning, disinfecting, and putting them into sterilizer.

“HEAL”-- Patients were already in clinic when we would arrive in the morning—infants, toddlers, older children, and adults. Many of them were dressed in their traditional Samburu dress; I understand that many of them would walk 10, 20+ miles to clinic and trusted healthcare providers to assess and treat them and their children/other family members, if indicated. Sometimes, they would wait all day under trees to be seen.

“TRANSFORM” – I believe our input helps to give local providers additional knowledge and skills to treat their peoples with limited local resources and they, in turn, give case studies in their practice that exposes learning, teaching, and intervention to their fellow colleagues (if indicated).

I believe a balance in theory and practice is necessary to heal and transform, i.e., classroom time, clinic time, and procedure time (if indicated). Based on limited local human and material resources, I feel knowledge and skills are key in healing.

If local providers communicate with the team in-between and before missions, I think M2H MDs can have an online meeting of providers to discuss possible cases that can be encountered and ways to proceed once M2H team is on the ground.

Asante sana!