(PORTLAND, ORE-Sept. 12, 2005) - Five medical volunteers with Northwest Medical Teams depart Tuesday morning for hurricane-ravaged Louisiana where they will treat sick and elderly patients housed in Lafayette.
Dr. Don Harris, a retired physician from Portland, and Rebecca Daley, a nurse at Providence Newburg Hospital who lives in Amity, Ore., will help exhausted medical workers who have been caring for patients non-stop since the disaster.

A volunteer physician and nurse from Washington along with a nurse from Ohio round out the team. The volunteers will serve a two-week assignment.

Media interviews available with Harris and Daley from 5 a.m. to 5:20 a.m., tomorrow (Sept. 13) at the Continental ticket counter at PDX Airport.

More than 25 medical workers are in the area, including Northwest Medical Teams President Bas Vanderzalm who arrived in Baton Rouge last Friday. Vanderzalm has toured New Orleans where hurricane victims continue to be rescued by helicopter and dropped off at the Convention Center. Northwest Medical Teams volunteers are treating more than 150 evacuees at the center each day. Trauma counselor Dr. Karin Jordan of Newberg, Ore., arrived yesterday at the Convention Center to treat patients with emotional and psychological needs.

"The devastation is beyond words," says Vanderzalm. "Many of the medical workers have lost family and friends. In addition to the deep personal loss, they are exhausted from working long hours without the typical resources of clean water, medications and adequate supplies."

To contribute to the Hurricane Katrina Disaster Relief Fund, call 1-800-959-4325, mail gifts to Northwest Medical Teams, P.O. Box 10, Portland, OR97207, or give online at our secure Web site: www.nwmedicalteam.org. Donations can also be made at any US Bank office.

Contact:

Barbara Agnew
503-341-6620 (cell)
503-604-3468 (pager)
bagnew@nwmti.org (email)
Keywords: Hurricane Katrina, Disaster, Volunteers, Hospitals