Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the LORD thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.
Knowing that God placed a higher calling on her ministry, Susan wasted no time in preparing herself to receive His greatest commission....to serve the people of Negril, Jamaica. Susan Bartsch was educated at Triton College in 1977, received her B.S. in Nursing at Lewis University and Master’s of Science Degree in Adult Nurse Practitioner from Northern University. Susan Bartsch’s professional certifications include American Heart Association BLS (CPR & AED), Certified Adult Nurse Practitioner, American Nursing Credentialing Center and Advanced Certified Hospice and Palliative Nurse Practitioner. Previous experience includes Team Leader Cardiac Catheterization; Laboratory; Emergency Department Charge Nurse, Critical Care Nurse, Telemetry Nurse and Medical Surgical Nurse.
Susan's calling was deepened after visiting Jamaica for several years. Upon listening to the needs of the people in Negril and assessing the health conditions of many in that community, Susan was compelled to coordinate a missions trip to establish a Medical Adult Cardiovascular Screening Program. The Medical Adult Cardiovascular Screening Program will service 600 to 750 adults in identifying manageable illnesses. Included in this program, the group will be conducting adult cardiovascular screening, BMI, vital signs, finger stick lab testing for cholesterol and glucose, provide a treatment plan with medications as needed.
We thank God for Susan Bartsch, NP. We look forward to all that God will unfold through the calling God has imparted on her life.
Susan Bartsch, NP
Director of Fox Valley Local & Global Missions - Jamaica
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2019 Joshua Medical Mission Trip
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Joshua Ministries Medical Mission
Update 2018
Cardiovascular Screening Pilot Program - Negril, Jamaica
Thanks to your generosity and God's faithful provision, it was truly a blessing for our twelve (12) member volunteer team to experience the first, ever Jamaican Mission Trip in November, 2017. Our team, together with several Jamaican volunteers (pictured above), provided medical services to five hundred and eighty-six (586) people in a country where medical services are not affordable, not readily available, or routinely provided for the vast majority of the population.
During our cardiovascular screening we reported to the Minister of Health that forty-three percent (43%) of our patients had hypertension, twenty-four percent (24%) with high cholesterol, and twelve percent (12%) had diabetes. These percentages are very compared to the United States. Even though our purpose was to do cardiovascular screenings we did not turn down anyone including; those with pain, allergies, acid reflux, or needing a wellness exam.,
Fifty-nine percent (59%) of our patients were then referred to a primary care doctor, if they had one, or directed to make a followup appointment at the Negril Clinic. We distributed 30-day supply of medicines to patients until further medical care and medicines could be provided. A major factor in our success was the donated medicines by individuals and organizations valued at $20,000. During the mission week Dr. Melesia Hylton from the University of West Indies hospital in Kingston, acted as the Medical Director for our mission, and Sister Catherine Cohall from the Jamaican Minister of Health worked with us.
This was the first Global Mission of this type in Negril and we demonstrated that the mission model can be used to service people in the underprivileged both in the United States and throughout the world. We hope we can help implement additional clinics in 2018.
THANK YOU! This was all made possible through your encouragement, kind hearts, and gifts. Your investment in our vision to serve the people of Negril will be felt for years to come.
Blessings,
Susan Bartsch, NP Director
Rev. Dr. Michael Love, CEO
Love Family Christian Foundation
2017 Mission Trip - Negril, Jamaica
Cardiovascular Screenings
Dear Community Partner,
During several visits to Negril, Jamaica, we have identified a lack of access to health care. Medical treatment is problematic, and preventive care is not a priority. Often medical problems go unaddressed until advanced stages are reached. Although healthcare has recently been made free by the Jamaica Labor Party, Jamaica is a country of moderate poverty and resources are lacking. Many Jamaicans make barely enough money to meet their daily needs and cannot afford medical care with a private physician. Thus basic preventative health care is often not performed. The doctors working for the public health system are over-burdened by the number of patients and lack of resources. Simply, there are not enough health care providers for the number of patients.
In Jamaica, cardiovascular disease (CVD) accounts for four of the five leading causes of death. The leading causes of death are cerebrovascular disease, diabetes mellitus, ischemic (coronary) heart disease, hypertensive disease and "other heart disease". CVDs remain one of the greatest challenges to the health of the nation. Diseases such as hypertension, kidney disease, diabetes, strokes and heart disease could be prevented with simple cardiovascular screenings. The most distressing thing is that the risk factors are silent killers, and by the time you start to have symptoms, there would quite like already have been damage, so screening is really the only way of knowing.
Knowing your numbers such as blood pressure, cholesterol, blood sugar, waist circumference, and body mass index (BMI) could reduce your risk of heart disease. Furthermore, medications for serious medical illnesses such as diabetes and hypertension are often not available due to lack of resources.
We are seeking support for a medical mission project in 2017 to provide screening for people in the area surrounding Negril, Jamaica. People living in this region lack resources to access preventive health care services, unlike us in the United States who receive routine screening, screening are non-existent in this region of the world.
We identified that a medical cardiovascular screening program using qualified medical staff and supplies would be a helpful resource to decrease CVD. After months of investigation and discussions with church leaders from Trinity Baptist Community Church, Int'l in Crystal Lake and New Testament Church in Negril, Jamaica, Journey Care, medical associates and others, we are organizing a Mission Trip comprised of volunteers to establish a Medical Adult Cardiovascular Screening Program in Negril as a pilot program. The success of this program will determine the future of the program.
Mission
Our goal is to create a medical mission program that will be conducted bi-annually to screen people in the area surrounding Negril, Jamaica. This program will provide a needed service to the community that current is non-existent. This is for people who lack resources to access any type of preventive health care services. The purpose is to identify manageable illnesses before they become severe requiring either hospitalization or even death.
Methodology
We are a 100% volunteer medical team of professional nurse practitioners, nurses, and other caring individuals living in Chicago’s Northwest Suburban. We will travel to Negril, at our own cost, in November 2017 to establish a temporary clinic in Negril. Monies donated will be used to purchase cardiovascular screening equipment, supplies, and medication to support the medical ministry team needs.
During a week period, we will services 600 to 750 adults in identifying manageable illnesses. Included will be conducting adult cardiovascular screening, BMI, vital signs, finger stick lab testing for cholesterol and glucose, provide a treatment plan with medications as needed. !
The 501c3 letter will be supplied for verification along with the Jamaica Missions supply sheet upon request.
Thank you for helping us to care for the people of Negril Jamaica.
With God’s Blessing,
Susan Bartsch, MSN, ANP-BC, ACHPN
Palliative Care Nurse Practitioner
Jamaica Mission Ministries, Director
Trinity/New Testament Missions
Love Family Christian Foundation Missions