Serving those less fortunate

Emily Spriggs (left) and Kaylee Rebholz (right), both third-year students in the Program in Physical Therapy, set up to play De Pesca (Go Fish) with some girls who live in an orphanage run by the Missionaries of Charity in Zarate, Argentina. A group of seven third-year physical therapy students went to Zarate for about 10 days in early January to work with the Missionaries of Charity, a religious order of nuns established by Mother Teresa. The nuns run a nursing home for homeless men and an orphanage for young girls. At the nursing home, the students presented skits regarding health issues including pressure ulcers, stretching, the benefits of mobility, the benefits of stretching and proper ways to propel a wheelchair to avoid secondary complications. In addition, the students helped with washing clothes by hand, sweeping, mopping, preparing food, serving meals and organizing medications. The students spent a year raising funds and organizing the trip.