Melissa Montgomery has been a pharmacist for Medical Alternatives, the home infusion pharmacy affiliated with Baptist Memorial Health Care, for four years and recently returned from Guatemala after attending her sixth mission trip.
Montgomery, along with other volunteers, has been traveling to Guatemala with the Global Missions of Mercy group for several years. The group travels to the country twice a year to help patients and fill prescriptions for people who cannot afford them.
“We are gone for a week and the whole time is such a humbling experience,” said Montgomery.
Montgomery attends the trip every February, and this year, she brought medical supplies donated by Medical Alternatives. They visited a village they hadn’t been to before and met a young girl who was severely dehydrated. The local hospital could not help the girl because it didn’t have the necessary supplies.
Luckily, Montgomery had IV fluids, one of the items Medical Alternatives donated.
“I truly believe the fluids saved her life,” said Montgomery. “I feel so blessed to work for an organization that supports our team and allowed me to take items with me.”
Montgomery says she felt grateful as she returned from her trip.
“Things that we take for granted here are so much more meaningful overseas,” she said.
Three doctors, four other pharmacists and volunteers attended the mission trip with Montgomery. They saw more than 600 patients and filled 6,000 prescriptions.
She encourages others to attend upcoming trips.
“There are places for everyone to serve for anyone willing and wanting to help,” she said.