Please select your home edition
Edition
Pantaenius 2022 - SAIL LEADERBOARD AUS

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:

Windcraft 2022 July - Dehler 46SQ - FOOTERRolly Tasker Sails 2023 FOOTERNavico AUS Zeus3S FOOTER

Related Articles

Australia claims podium in nail biter Dubai final
With Jimmy Spithill announcing his retirement from SailGP Jimmy Spithill has steered Australia to a podium finish in Dubai, in a nail biting final that saw multiple lead changes and a near pile up in the last mark.
Posted today at 8:29 pm
U.S. debut in Dubai
Team takes podium position in the final fleet race "It's so energizing to finish our first event as a team with a third place in that final race," said Taylor Canfield, driver for the United States SailGP Team at the Emirates Dubai Sail Grand Prix presented by P&O Marinas.
Posted today at 8:21 pm
Gran Canaria Air Battle overall
Local rider Ancor Sosa conqueres disciplines of Wingfoil Surf-Freestyle & Freefly-Slalom The conditions were perfect in the morning hours at the beach of Las Burras in Gran Canaria (about 20 knots from the northeast), allowing riders to perform breathtaking maneuvers in the wingfoil disciplines of the Global Wingsports Association (GWA).
Posted today at 7:59 pm
Dramatic photo finish decides winner
At the Emirates Dubai Sail Grand Prix presented by P&O Marinas Peter Burling's New Zealand SailGP Team clinched a stunning come-from-behind victory to win the Emirates Dubai Sail Grand Prix presented by P&O Marinas in the most hotly contested final in SailGP history.
Posted today at 4:08 pm
Stage set at 2023 Youth Sailing Worlds
The event begins tomorrow in Armação dos Buzios, Brazil The stage is officially set for the 2023 Youth Sailing World Championships in Armação dos Buzios, Brazil. Racing for the the 52nd edition of the event begins tomorrow with the world's best young sailors battling for gold.
Posted today at 2:45 pm
Relive the Top 10 Highlights of the SSL Gold Cup!
It's hard to believe that the epic Grand Final was a week ago It's hard to believe that the epic Grand Final of the SSL Gold Cup was a week ago! The event was filled with highs and lows of emotions but, most of all, was a showcase of all that is good about sailing.
Posted today at 1:31 pm
2023 WingFoil Racing World Cup Brazil overall
Suardiaz wins Jeri, Spanu wins the Worlds, Ghio wins both Nia Suardiaz and Mathis Ghio have won the WingFoil Racing World Cup Brazil after Jericoacoara delivered another high-wind, high-drama day in paradise.
Posted today at 1:13 pm
SailGP Dubai: New Zealand wins dramatic Final
NZSailGP team came from behind to take a dramatic race decided literally within the last metre NZSailGP team came from behind to take a dramatic race decided within the last metre of the course. The final day was notable for crucial umpire decisions with the Brits being disqualified soon after the start of Race 5 - ending their Final aspirations.
Posted today at 11:45 am
18ft Skiff NSW Championship Races 5 and 6
Price's last minute decision proves successful A last minute decision by skipper Harry Price to sail his first 18ft skiff race of the season proved successful when he steered the Rag & Famish Hotel team to victory in both races of the NSW 18ft skiff Championship on Sydney Harbour today.
Posted today at 9:15 am
Sam Goodchild is third, wins IMOCA Globe Series
Wins 2023 IMOCA Globe Series title with a fistful of third places British skipper Sam Goodchild (FOR THE PLANET) maintained his remarkably consistent form when he completed his first ever solo IMOCA race, the 3,500 nautical miles inaugural Retour à La Base from Martinique to Lorient in third place.
Posted today at 3:41 am