2025 – YEAR 5 EXCEEDS ALL EXPECTATIONS

2025 – A Year of Transformational Progress for                             WELLNESS for AfricA

OUR ACCOMPLISHMENTS:

A New Wave of Hope: Second Container Arrives at St. Dominic’s

In February, St. Dominic’s Mission Hospital in Ndola received a second, much-anticipated container of donated medical supplies and equipment — a milestone made possible by the steadfast partnership between Wellness for Africa and Project C.U.R.E. What this container delivered goes far beyond boxes and crates: it brings renewed dignity, improved care, and expanded hope to thousands who rely on the hospital’s compassionate services.

Behind the Shipment: Generosity, Commitment & Sacrifice

As part of its core mission to “inspire wellness of the mind, body and soul” for underserved communities in Ndola, Zambia, Wellness for Africa works hand-in-hand with the Dominican Missionary Sisters to channel resources into essential healthcare infrastructure and services. 
For this second container, the WFA community rose to the challenge — raising $46,000 to cover the shipping costs required to transport the goods from the U.S. to Zambia. This financial support is a critical link that transforms donated equipment in America into lifesaving tools in Ndola.
Together, WFA and Project C.U.R.E. continue to forge a path of generosity and service.

What the Container Brought: Vital Equipment & Supplies

The contents of this shipment — with a value well over $560,000 — dramatically expand the capabilities of St. Dominic’s, both within the hospital and in outreach programs. Included among the donations:

• An ultrasound machine — enabling improved diagnostics, prenatal care, and internal imaging.
• Hospital beds — replacing worn or inadequate beds, enhancing patient comfort and dignity.
• A mobile C-Arm X-Ray machine — critical for imaging during surgeries, orthopedic procedures, and in emergencies.
• Bedside tables — helping to create a more functional, respectful hospital environment.
• Cardiac monitors — essential for monitoring vital signs during surgeries, post-operative care, and critical care.
• Electrocautery equipment — enabling safer, more effective surgical procedures.
• Laboratory supplies — bolstering the hospital’s diagnostic capacity, including blood tests, microbiology, and general lab work.
• Numerous consumable supplies — everything from wound dressings, sterile gloves and gowns, syringes, IV supplies, to other materials crucial for day-to-day patient care and wound treatment.

These aren’t luxuries — they are foundational tools for delivering safe, effective medical care in a resource-limited setting.

Gratitude and Partnership

This second shipment was not just a delivery — it was a powerful testament to what is possible when hearts and hands from across the globe unite around a shared mission of healing and compassion.

Wellness for Africa Brings Modern Diagnostics to St. Dominic’s 

In May, Wellness for Africa (WFA) completed a fundraising goal of $28,500 to initiate a long-term plan to assist in the modernization of St. Dominic’s Laboratory Department.  We purchased a new Cobas c111 lab analyzer locally which resulted in a significant financial contribution to several local businesses.  Yes, the supplier of the analyzer benefited, but well into the future, so will those that offer proper equipment maintenance and those that provide the necessary operational supplies.  

The Value of Cobas c 111

The Cobas c 111 analyzer — a compact, fully-automated clinical chemistry instrument — represents a powerful tool for hospitals like St. Dominic’s, where accurate lab tests inform nearly every aspect of patient care. 

What the Cobas c 111 Can Do

• Broad clinical chemistry & electrolyte testing: The analyzer measures a wide array of analytes — from metabolic panels and kidney/liver function to electrolytes (sodium, potassium, chloride) and protein levels 
• Versatility of sample types: It can process serum, plasma, urine, or whole blood
• Reasonable throughput with fast turnaround: The system can run up to ~100 tests per hour
• Reliability: Its design, low maintenance needs, and stability make it well-suited for settings where resources and infrastructure may be constrained. 

How Cobas c 111 Strengthens Care at St. Dominic’s Mission Hospital
Faster, More Accurate Diagnosis

At St. Dominic’s, many patients arrive with limited prior medical history. The ability to run accurate chemistry and electrolyte panels on-site means doctors and nurses can quickly diagnose infections, dehydration, malnutrition, organ dysfunction, metabolic disease, or electrolyte imbalance — conditions common in resource-limited areas. With Cobas c 111, lab results can be obtained within hours (sometimes minutes), rather than waiting days for tests sent off-site.  This is especially critical in emergency, surgical, or obstetric care — where timely decisions can save lives.

Improved Quality of Care & Monitoring

With the Cobas c 111, the hospital can perform routine panels (renal, hepatic, metabolic, electrolytes), monitor chronic diseases (e.g. diabetes, kidney disease), check pre-surgical and post-operative labs, and support critical care monitoring. This elevates the standard of care and enables the hospital to treat complex cases safely.
Moreover, consistent, reliable lab results help guide treatment decisions — from fluid and electrolyte management, antibiotic therapy, to detecting complications early.

Why This Matters for Wellness for Africa’s Mission

One of Wellness for Africa’s guiding values is supporting sustainable, high-quality healthcare infrastructures that serve underserved communities. By investing in lab equipment like Cobas c 111, Wellness for Africa helps ensure that the care delivered at St. Dominic’s — or through outreach clinics — is grounded in accurate diagnostics, not 
In short: Cobas c 111 is not just a machine — it is a bridge between hope and healing, enabling modern diagnostic capacity in a setting that desperately needs it.

Compassion in Action: Volunteers Deliver Hope and Healing Through Second Annual Surgical Camp

In September, another remarkable collaboration between Wellness for Africa and the International Surgical Missions (ISM) team, in partnership with the Dominican Missionary Sisters, was carried out to serve members of the St. Dominic’s Hospital community in Ndola, Zambia. What began as a shared vision — to expand access to quality surgical care for those in need — has blossomed into a powerful partnership thanks to the dedicated ISM team under the leadership of Dr. Jay Riesman and wife, Mary McCormick, RN. 

From the outset, Wellness for Africa’s mission has centered on supporting the Sisters as they strive to deliver essential health, education, and social services to underserved populations through institutions such as St. Dominic's Mission Hospital, the Barefoot Community School, and St. Anthony's Home for Abandoned and Vulnerable Children.  

Our joint initiative with the Internation Surgical Mission’s (ISM) organization built on that foundation — aiming to broaden the scope of support for the Sisters by bringing surgical care directly to those who otherwise could not afford it.  

The Team Behind the Mission

The traveling surgical team assembled for the mission was composed of:

• 4 dedicated physicians
• 3 anesthesia personnel
• 5 surgical nurses
• 2 surgical scrub technicians

These professionals joined hands with local St. Dominic’s surgical professionals and 
volunteered their time, skills, and compassion to serve those in need of surgical intervention but were without the means to pay for such care. Over the course of five intensive days, the team performed a total of 75 much-needed surgeries — all at no cost to either the hospital or the patients.

This impressive achievement reflects not only surgical skill but a deep commitment to offer dignity, compassion, and service on behalf of all members of this team.

What This Work Means for Ndola & the Dominican Sisters’ Mission

By joining forces with ISM, Wellness for Africa and the medical team at St. Dominic’s Mission hospital have been able to extend their reach significantly. The 75 surgeries delivered under this second-year and the 55 delivered in 2024, has translated into real life-changing care for individuals who otherwise might not have had access to safe, professional surgical services.

Gratitude, Reflection, and a Hopeful Future

As we celebrate this second anniversary, we honor the selfless volunteers — physicians, nurses, technicians, and anesthetists from all 3 organizations— whose collective skills and generosity made the “Surgery Camp,” possible.  What an amazing gift each of you offered this community!

In conclusion, to make these three projects possible, WFA was tasked at raising a total of $84,500.   WE DID IT!

*$46,000:  The shipping cost to send medical and dental supplies 
*$28,500:  The cost to purchase a modern laboratory analyzer:
*$10,000:  The cost to host the Surgical Camp project  
  $84,500

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On behalf, the Dominican Missionary Sisters and WFA, we are deeply grateful and humbled by the incredible generosity of each and every donor who contributed toward making 2025 a tremendous success!  Our hope is that each of you will remain steadfast in your commitment to offer your support so that together, we can sustain the health and welfare of St. Dominic’s community.  
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Finally, we pray in thanksgiving for those who offered not only monetary support, but supporters who offered prayers and hold the belief that, with a “collective collaboration” of 
like-minded individuals, it’s possible to restore dignity by continuing to offer …. more care, more healing, and more hope to those that need it most. 

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