August 29, 2026 | Santa Cruz, St. Elizabeth
On August 29, HerRelief Jamaica brought its Back-to-School Medical Mission to St. Matthew’s Anglican Church Hall in Santa Cruz, St. Elizabeth, in collaboration with the Rotary Club of Santa Cruz.
The mission was designed to help children and families prepare for the new school year while improving access to essential healthcare and practical support.
From the moment families entered, the mission was structured to move them through a coordinated series of service points. There was a registration station, two nursing stations, two doctors’ stations, a dental station, a medication station, and a dedicated back-to-school supplies and care package distribution station.
Throughout the day, families were able to access medical checkups, school medicals, nursing assessments, dental screenings and dental care, health screenings, vision support, mental health support, medication assistance, health education, referrals, and back-to-school supplies.
But the day was about more than completing forms and moving families through stations.
Our healthcare professionals spent time listening to parents, examining children, answering questions, identifying concerns that families may not have known existed, and helping them understand what steps should come next.
In one case, what began as a routine examination revealed a bee lodged inside a young girl’s ear. Our team assessed the situation, addressed what could safely be managed within the mission setting, and referred the family for appropriate follow-up care. It was a clear reminder of why accessible screenings matter. Sometimes an important concern is discovered only because someone had the opportunity to be examined.
Across the room, several needs were being addressed at once. One child might be completing a school medical while another received dental care. Parents moved between nursing and doctors’ stations, families received medications or follow-up guidance, and children left with school supplies and care packages to help them prepare for the new academic year.
The mission was led and supported by members of HerRelief Jamaica’s leadership team, including President and Co-Founder Theresa White and Vice President and Co-Founder Dr. Kerone Thomas. Also serving on the mission were Dr. Yeneisha Greene, Director of Community Outreach, and Dr. Nekeisha L. Walker, Chief Administrative Officer.
We were also grateful for the support of healthcare volunteers who gave their time and expertise, including Nurse Samantha Duckworth, a U.S.-based nurse who continues to volunteer her time and expertise with HerRelief Jamaica, and local volunteer Nurse Cooper, who helped support patient care throughout the day.
The mission highlighted the importance of coordination and teamwork. Physicians, nurses, dental professionals, volunteers, and support personnel worked across each station, communicating and stepping in where needed so families could move through the experience as smoothly as possible.
For many parents, having medical, dental, medication, and back-to-school support available in one location meant fewer barriers, fewer separate appointments to arrange, and greater peace of mind as their children prepared to return to school.
Our work in Santa Cruz reflected what HerRelief Jamaica continues to stand for: bringing healthcare, relief, and practical community support closer to the people who need it.
We are grateful to the Rotary Club of Santa Cruz, our leadership team, healthcare professionals, volunteers, supporters, families, and everyone who helped make the mission possible.
The mission may have lasted one day, but its impact continues through the children who received care, the families who received answers, the concerns that were identified, the medications and supplies distributed, and the support families were able to take home with them.
This is why we keep showing up.
HerRelief Jamaica remains committed to expanding access to healthcare and community support across Jamaica through medical missions, disaster relief, and outreach.
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