Upon their arrival home, they realized that they wanted to share their experience, as well as the opportunity to serve, with everyone who had the same passion. Thus, the idea of Thrive became a reality. Thrive Service Initiative was officially started, with the idea that these trips would become something more sustainable.
In the year following the first trip to Port-au-Prince, three more trips of students were sent - two to Port-au-Prince and one to Maua, Kenya. Since then, Thrive has been established as a student led program that hopes to continue to provide rehabilitation services to those in need. Thrive has been fortunate enough to send students on trips each year since its inception - to Kenya, Panama, and Haiti, totaling to seven trips, in multiple clinic settings (including, but not limited to, orphanages, hospitals, outpatient clinics, and community outreach projects). |
In the winter of 2011, a group of Shenandoah University's Physical Therapy students were looking for opportunities to participate in service trips abroad.
Originally, it was just three students (Grant Davis, Kyle Feldman, and Jordan Hoile) who decided to plan a medical missions trip to Haiti, providing rehabilitation services to those in need. In December of 2011, these three students, alongside two Physician Assistant students from the University of Kentucky, traveled to Port-au-Prince, Haiti, providing services in outpatient clinics and orphanages. Thrive's timeline:Winter 2011 - First trip to PAP, Haiti sending 3 SUPT students and 2 PA students from University of Kentucky August 2012 - Inception of Thrive Service Initiative Winter 2012 - Sent two trips to PAP, Haiti and one trip to Maua, Kenya sending a total of 16 students Winter 2013 - Sent trips to Les Cayes and Jacmel, Haiti and Panama City, Panama sending a total of 25 SUPT students and 1 SU nursing student Winter 2014 - Sent trips to Haiti and Ecuador. Haiti trip included 8 SUPT students and 2 clinicians. The Ecuador trip included 5 students, undergrad translators, and clinicians. Spring 2015 - Sent a trip to Guatemala! Summer 2015: Sent 6 students and 1 clinician to Guatemala that provided care at a local clinic to children and adults, and went on multiple home visits. Summer 2017: We are excited to be able to send students on three trips, including two to Guatemala and one to Kenya. |