Toys, T-shirts and a trip to Peru

Header image for Interrobang article CREDIT: STEPHANIE LAI
Clarisa Gallegos looks forward to using her x-ray skills in Peru to help those in need.

Inspired by the work her late mother did, Clarisa Gallegos will be making the trek to Peru to do her part to change the world.

The misdiagnosing of her mother led her to the Medical Radiation Technology program at Fanshawe, of which she is in her third year.

“After [my mom’s passing], I just wanted to be involved somehow in diagnostics,” Gallegos said. “You get to work with nurses and doctors, and you want to make sure you have that good picture in order to diagnose.”

Before Gallegos’ mother passed away, she had been sending dentists to villages in El Salvador through her foundation Green Volunteers. When she passed, Gallegos went to El Salvador in her place.

“It was amazing the amount of people you’re helping,” she said. “Some of them had never had a toothbrush.”

“I knew I wanted to go back and volunteer somehow.”

In August, after her first year at Fanshawe, Gallegos began to research medical missions. She came across the Foundation of International Medical Relief for Children (FIMRC).

“I noticed they do work in El Salvador, and that’s where I’m from, and that’ where my mom had started her foundation.”

Gallegos got in touch with FIMRC and was informed that her X-ray skills could be used in Peru and India. She says she chose Peru so she could practice her Spanish.

After doing research on institutions FIMRC works with, Gallegos found that orphanages and hospitals were in need of supplies.

In December, Gallegos conducted a toy drive in the hospital where she did her placement.

“My goal was to get a least 100 lbs. of donations,” she said. “I got a lot of donations. I’m still getting donations.”

“Then my concern was how am I’m going take this.”

Because of overflow from the toy drive, Gallegos needs to raise more money to pay for extra baggage. So she started selling T-shirts.

“I designed a radiology T-shirt … I sold them to [my placement hospital].”

Gallegos ended up selling T-shirts to hospitals in Cambridge, Woodstock and most recently Strathroy.

The money she raises from T-shirt sales will help to pay for baggage but also for extra medical supplies.

“[FIMRC] sent me a [list] of hospital supplies they need, so I started buying things with the money I had raised,” she said. “I’m mainly raising money to buy [supplies].”

Gallegos leaves for her month-long trip to Peru on May 20. For more information or to purchase T-shirts email her at mrtgirl2015@gmail.com.