Metro Voice News Celebrating Faith, Family & Community
As the world seemingly descends into greater chaos, the need for compassionate response teams is growing exponentially and an international health conference in Kansas City hopes to be the answer.
From Russia’s brutal war against Ukraine to millions starving across Africa and Afghanistan you can be a light of compassion.
Helping to train individuals, churches and first responders, the 2022 INMED Humanitarian Health Conference comes to Kansas City June 10 and 11.
INMED, which stands for the Institute for International Medicine, is hosting the annual event at Graceway church in Raytown.
“The conference exposes the heartfelt need of the forgotten, celebrates action of their behalf, and challenges us to join this journey,” says Elizabeth Burgos, Chief Programs Officer at INMED.
READ: Michael W. Smith pens song about Ukraine
The organization is a leader in assisting students and healthcare professionals with the unique skills needed today to effectively serve the world’s most forgotten people. The non-profit offers didactic instruction in the full range of global health topics via online, hybrid, and in-classroom courses, as well as through conferences like this one. It holds service-learning events at over 45 INMED Training Sites in 25 low-resource countries.
Dr. Nicholas Comninellis, President on INMED, is challenging professionals and students to play their part in addressing urgent world needs. “Today, people and nations continue rising against one another, often out of pride and self-interest. Simultaneously, individuals and organizations are also rising up out of desire for compassion and health,” he says.
The conference features keynote speakers Dr. Sam Fabiano, Dr. Nicholas Comninellis and Dr. Jeff Colyer.
Coyler is a practicing surgeon and former Governor of Kansas. Over the last 25 years Colyer has volunteered as a surgeon in dangerous war zones through his work with International Medical Corps. His role has been to assess, initiate, provide care, negotiate and implement large programs with more than 1,000 employees in multiple countries. He has worked in Rwanda, the Balkans, Afghanistan, Iraq, Cambodia, USSR, Libya, the Syrian border, and South Sudan. He has negotiated with businesses, governments, international institutions and warlords. He was the only surgeon in southern Rwanda during the genocide that killed 800,000 people.
He and other speakers will bring their real-life stories to life and inspire others to serve and equip conference attendees to take action on behalf of our world’s most marginalized people.
In addition to hearing from inspiring speakers, participants will have the opportunity to learn new skills through our dynamic break-out sessions on topics such as:
- The Spiritually Informed Career
- Preparing for the Next Pandemic
- Connecting with Local Medical Establishment
- Career Development for Global Medical Professionals
- Finding a Calling
- Ultrasound Overview
- Helping Babies Breathe Introduction
- Primary Care Ophthalmology
- Care for the Urban Poor
- And many more!
Three breakout session tracks are available, including Community Health, Patient Care, Career Development and Hands-On Skills
Participants will also have the opportunity to network with exhibiting organizations to learn more about available opportunities to serve. To register for the conference, please visit https://www.inmedhhc.com
Graceway is located at 5460 Blue Ridge Cutoff, Raytown, Mo.
–Dwight Widaman | Metro Voice
