About the program
The city of Lowell is home to more than 13,000 Cambodians, the second-most of any city in America. At Lowell General Hospital, these individuals aren’t just our patients, they are also members of our staff, and we have a vested interest in understanding their unique culture and healthcare needs.
In 2014, Lowell General Hospital physician Dr. Milton Drake and his wife Debbie began a “sister hospital” program to assist healthcare facilities in Cambodia run by the charitable organization Hope Worldwide. These hospitals fill an important gap for the poor by providing access to patients who cannot pay for their care.
In 2019, Lowell General reinforced its commitment, sending hospital leaders and physicians to provide medical supplies, and participated in the graduation of the first group of Cambodian physicians to successfully complete their 3-year emergency point-of-care ultrasound training. An ultrasound machine was provided by Lowell General as part of this training commitment at the inception of the program.
Now under the shared leadership of Dr. Rothsovann Yong, a Lowell General emergency and disaster medicine physician and a native of Cambodia, and in close collaboration with Lowell General Chief Medical Officer William Galvin, we are recruiting a new team of medical professionals for another unforgettable trip to provide more equipment and training and treat patients in need.
