“My family left after the volcanic eruption,” Sister said to me with a heavy heart. “But I asked myself, who will take care of my fellow Montserratians who stayed behind?”

These poignant words reflect the resilience and dedication of the nurses I encountered during my recent medical mission to Montserrat. During my time on the island, I collaborated with cardiologist Icilma Fergus Rowe of Mount Sinai Medical Center in New York City, who returns each year to provide much-needed cardiac care. The team serves over 100 patients in just five days, providing essential cardiac consultations, follow-up visits, and diagnostic echocardiograms, as well as referrals for further treatment or testing in Antigua or sometimes the United Kingdom (UK).

Local nurses under strain.

While many patients waited all year for consultation with our team and our presence was met with gratitude, local nurses who facilitated this care also revealed to me that our visit placed additional strain on the already overwhelmed nursing staff. Now, as I reflect on the benefits brought by medical missions like ours, I remain aware of the poignant reality that when you leave, you leave behind hurting colleagues whose pain stays with you.

The lasting effects of a devastating volcano eruption.

This small island in the Caribbean 25 miles southwest of Antigua, once a thriving community, has faced […]