How a Week of Mission Work Redefined My Purpose as a Physical Therapist
In July of 2025, my cohort and I had the amazing opportunity to travel to Lima, Perú, to perform mission work as part of our summer curriculum. We partnered with a local church in Lima to give out assistive devices to those in need.
During our trip, we spent a full week providing much-needed physical therapy to members of the local community. We began the week with 220 wheelchairs, and ended the week with 35, having given away 185 of them. Additionally, we were able to give away several walkers, canes, and crutches.
Lessons from a Remarkable Patient Encounter
The experience that stuck out to me the most was when I treated a patient with a bilateral trans-femoral amputation—and he was also blind. As my classmate and I began to learn more subjective information about this patient, we began to fit him for a wheelchair. Ultimately, we were able to find the perfect one for him!
Additionally, the patient expressed difficulty with getting in and out of bed. At first, we believed that teaching him how to perform a slide-board transfer would be beneficial, but we feared that his blindness may limit this ability. Boy, were we wrong! To our surprise, he picked this skill up very quickly. The patient was very happy, and we could tell that his life was about to change forever.
This patient encounter taught me that life will throw a lot of uncontrollable things at you, but what matters most is what we choose to do about the things that we can control.
Language, Culture, and Connection
Getting to practice my physical therapy skills (as well as my Spanish-speaking) was such a blessing! I am so glad that I was able to combine those two skills to serve patients in need.
As I reflect on this trip, I am proud to say that I learned so much not only about the career of physical therapy, but also about myself. The depth of the impact that we can have on patients, no matter where they are from, is more meaningful than anything we will ever learn in the classroom or through textbooks. We truly have the capability to change lives for the better!
For those who are considering doing mission work domestically or internationally, may my story serve as a testament to the impact it can have on your life and on the lives of those you will serve. As healthcare professionals, we are typically known for the knowledge we have through studying, but on a deeper level we will be remembered by the way that we treat and serve those around us. This trip was one that I will never forget, and I feel so blessed that I got to be a part of it!
