Please select your home edition
Edition
Selden 2020 - LEADERBOARD

Floating Doctors - bringing relief to the developing world

by Sail-World Cruising on 27 Jun 2011
Floating Doctors - medicos who go sailing to relieve suffering in the developing world SW
Floating Doctors is an all-volunteer, non-profit medical relief team dedicated to reducing the present and future burden of disease in the developing world. They go sailing to effect their mission.

It all started in Tanzania, 2005 with an empty backpack once filled with medical supplies. An aspiring American medical student was burdened with a sense unfulfillment when his supplies ran dry and scores of sick and injured villagers were left untreated.


Dr. Benjamin La Brot, from Topanga in California, remembers treating those with wounds, infections, and other ailments at the Masai Village. But what he remembers most about his trip is running out of medication and supplies before having the chance to treat the entire village. This powerless, overwhelming feeling served as motivation for the 33-year-old doctor to plan for a new mission; a mission to transcend the concept of providing effective aid and relief on an international scale that is both economically and environmentally friendly.

Inspired with his new idea, four years later La Brot headed a nonprofit group called the Floating Doctors who sailed for a year-long medical mission aboard a 76-foot sailboat that carried 15 crew members and 20,000 pounds of medical supplies.

They sailed to 15 countries in Latin America and the Pacific Islands. Their boat, Southern Wind, was donated by a Florida couple. A volunteer crew repaired the old boat into a fully functioning mobile medical vehicle. They visited Haiti, Belize, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Panama, Tuamotu Archipelago, Tonga, the Marshall Islands, Micronesia and Melanesia.

Now, in a new expedition, since May of 2010, a dedicated permanent crew and many visiting volunteers have voyaged to Haiti and along the Atlantic coast of Central America on their own year-long medical mission to provide supplies and assistance to existing relief groups, and to carry health services to remote locations that are cut off from care.

Floating Doctors works with local officials, relief groups and community leaders to identify and address specific needs in communities. Whether it be doing mobile clinics for remote island communities, providing advanced life support training for the fire department on Roatan, lending hands and the expertise of our volunteers in local clinics, coordinating and delivering supply shipments from international donors to local groups, or even transporting 12,000 pounds of lumber and material to Haiti and building two schools, Floating Doctors is about leaving the biggest possible, longest-term health benefits for the lowest expenditure of resources.

As the founder of the group Dr. Benjamin La Brot says, 'The Law of the Sea is always ‘stop and help’ because you never know when it might be YOU in trouble far away from any assistance. And if we all stopped and helped just a little, together we could accomplish great things.

'Sailing has made my dream possible, so I feel pretty indebted to those who came before and especially to those who, in the future, I hope will still have the opportunity hold their hand on the tiller and the feel of blue water under their keel.'

To learn more about this inspiring organisation, The Floating Doctors, and maybe donate, please visit their website at http://floatingdoctors.com/

Watch just one story below of a man the Floating Doctors discovered with a broken arm, untreated for two years:

X-Yachts X4.0Sea Sure 2025Vetus-Maxwell 2021 v2 FOOTER

Related Articles

David Porter, King of Sydney Harbour in the 1970s
During one of the greatest eras in the 134-year history of the 18ft Skiff class During a 10-year career in the 18s from 1970-71 to 1979-80, inclusive, Dave Porter won the 1975 World Championship, three Australian and five NSW (State) championships as well as numerous club championships.
Posted today at 12:51 am
SailGP: Australia on top in Geneva- Day 1
The Flying Roos (AUS) top of the leaderboard, after the first day of racing in SailGP Switzerland. The Flying Roos sit on top of the leaderboard, after the first day of racing in SailGP Switzerland. This was the first test of the new light air foils, and three races were sailed, all completed within the time limits.
Posted today at 12:35 am
Another win for MACIF Santé Prévoyance
Sam Goodchild and Loïs Berrehar victorious in Défi Azimut Lorient Agglomération The British skipper Sam Goodchild, who was a key part of the crew on Biotherm that won The Ocean Race Europe, followed up with victory in the two-handed Défi Azimut - Lorient Agglomération 48 Hours race today.
Posted on 20 Sep
Team Malizia ends on a high
Boris Herrmann's team fourth in The Ocean Race Europe After five legs, over 4,500 nautical miles, and six weeks of intense offshore racing, The Ocean Race Europe 2025 concluded today in Boka Bay, Montenegro. Team Malizia delivered a strong performance, climbing the overall leaderboard to finish fourth.
Posted on 20 Sep
A podium finish for Holcim-PRB
Team showed drive, consistent performance and commitment in The Ocean Race Europe After six weeks of racing, Holcim-PRB sailed its final race of The Ocean Race Europe 2025 today in Montenegro. With a third-place finish in the coastal race in Boka Bay, the Swiss boat secured a spot on the podium, claiming the bronze medal.
Posted on 20 Sep
Aussies checkmate in tense opener in Geneva
Tom Slingsby and the BONDS Flying Roos sit in pole position Tom Slingsby and the BONDS Flying Roos sit in pole position after the opening day in Geneva, following a day of racing that was described as a "chess-like battle" on the water.
Posted on 20 Sep
15th Défi Azimut - Acceleration and extension
Sleep? Dream on! The numerous videos posted by the OBRs (On-Board Reporters) on the Défi Azimut Lorient Agglomération server this morning testify to the infinite patience and the depth of talent required by the crews to make the Occidentale de Sein.
Posted on 20 Sep
BONDS Flying Roos in pole position in Geneva
Day 1 of Rolex Switzerland Sail Grand Prix The BONDS Flying Roos top the event leaderboard with 25 points after opening day in Geneva. All 12 international teams battled shifty, light conditions, with those able to stay up on the foils and nail the maneuvers finding themselves still in the hunt.
Posted on 20 Sep
Biotherm takes the win
Spectacular Coastal Race in Boka Bay marks the end of The Ocean Race Europe The Boka Bay Coastal Race was a perfect reflection of this edition of The Ocean Race Europe: spectacular. And as they did over and over again during the past six weeks, it was Paul Meilhat's Biotherm who secured victory.
Posted on 20 Sep
America's Cup: Vision for the Naples unveiled
Emirates Team NZ and Sport e Salute unveiled the vision for the America's Cup in Naples in 2027. Emirates Team NZ and Sport e Salute, the publicly-owned Italian company responsible for promoting sports and a healthy lifestyle across the nation, unveiled the vision for the Louis Vuitton 38th America's Cup in Naples in 2027.
Posted on 20 Sep