Medical Project

The Health and Educational Relief (HERO), is a U.S.-based 501(c)3 tax-exempt, not-for-profit organization providing quality health care and humanitarian assistance to communities of need. Since its inception in 2000, HERO has conducted annual medical missions to numerous Caribbean and South American countries where our volunteer physicians, surgeons, nurses, pharmacists, nutritionists, and allied healthcare professionals have directly administered quality care and support to thousands of residents in under-served communities. All services, including the dispensing of medications as needed, are funded by volunteer contributions and delivered at no cost to the patients. Among countries served by our previous medical missions are Guyana, Grenada, Antigua and Barbuda, Haiti and Jamaica.

HERO typically conducts two overseas medical missions annually; the tours are undertaken in March and August, each lasting for approximately seven days. Mission volunteers are divided into teams and each team is assigned to a specific region of the country for the duration of the tour. In addition to our licensed professional clinicians, each team is also supported by student volunteers enrolled in pre-medical and other healthcare programs at accredited colleges and universities in the United States. The students are selected in a rigorously competitive process.

The majority of our medical missions are conducted in remote villages and rural communities where the need for service is often exceptionally acute. However, since the description of “medically under-served” can sometimes be applied to an entire country in the developing world, our teams often administer services in urban centers as well. While on tour, our medical teams also work collaboratively with local providers to share professional best practices and ensure continuity of care.

To learn more about our medical and other missions, and/or to volunteer, click here for additional details.