HAND-Philippines

08/11/2026

The HAND-Philippines 2027 Global Health Rotation is now open to applicants!

📅 January 1–31, 2027
📍 Bohol, Philippines

Are you a 3rd- or 4th-year medical student interested in global health, primary care, community medicine, and serving underserved populations?

Join us for a four-week immersive clinical experience in Bohol, working alongside Filipino physicians and healthcare professionals in hospitals, Rural Health Units, outreach clinics, and island communities.

Experience medicine in a resource-limited setting while developing your clinical skills, cultural understanding, and global health perspective.

To learn more and find application information go to: https://www.hand-philippines.org/about-4-1

📩 Want to apply? Contact Dr. Thomas Shima at [email protected]

08/09/2026

One of our new board members, Dr. Tschirhart, OBGYN, was featured on a recent episode of This American Life. Please take a moment to listen to her in Act 1 of episode 894 of This American Life. We are so proud of her!

People dealing with new, glaring, massive changes happening right where they live.

07/24/2026

Discover a preview of the beautiful original artwork that will be available tomorrow at Art Among the Meadows!

Featured works include:
🖼️ Colorful Gladiolas by Sandra Dunn
🖼️ Pop by Keith Peters
🖼️ Crossroads by Chris Cart
🖼️ Wild Swans by Jen Greta Cart
🖼️ Schooner "Olad" by Marc Poirier
🖼️ Birds of Paradise by Miriam Webber
🖼️ Gray House Red Door by Michel Paul Cyr
🖼️ Across the Way by Christine Sullivan
🖼️ Evening Gazebo by Penny Markely
🖼️ On the Way to Lobster Cove Trail by Christy Dagsaan

Every artwork tells a story, and every purchase makes an impact. At least fifty percent of each art sale will benefit HAND-Philippines, helping support our ongoing programs and partnerships with communities in the Philippines.

Join us tomorrow, Saturday, July 25, from 5:00 PM–9:00 PM EST at the Harvest Moon Farm in Winthrop, to meet local artists, explore an inspiring collection of original artwork, and support a meaningful cause.

To learn more about HAND-Philippines, visit www.hand-philippines.org.

We can't wait to see you there!

07/04/2026

Please join HAND-Philippines on Saturday, July 25, 2026, from 5PM to 9PM EST for Art Among the Meadows: an evening of art, community, and conversation.

Browse and purchase original works by talented local Maine artists while supporting a meaningful cause. Half of the proceeds from every artwork sold will go directly to HAND-Philippines, helping us continue our programs and service to the communities we partner with.

Whether you're an art enthusiast, a supporter of local artists, or someone who wants to make a difference, we'd love to spend the evening with you.

See the event flyer for venue details and additional information. We hope to see you there!

If you are interested in learning more about HAND-Philippines please visit us at: www.hand-philippines.org

06/27/2026

🤝 HOPE AND HEALING FOR MINDANAO 🇵🇭

​The devastating Magnitude 7.8 earthquake that struck Mindanao this June 2026, has turned countless lives upside down. In an instant, families were left homeless, evacuating with only the clothes on their backs, and now face critical medical, food, and hygiene challenges in the aftermath.

​In times of deep crisis, solidarity moves us forward.

​HAND Philippines—led by our Board of Directors and Executive Director, and fueled by the immense generosity of our donors—has stepped up to bring urgent relief to our Mindanao beneficiaries.

​We are proud and deeply grateful to partner directly on the ground with Dr. Vernie Dagan and the South Cotabato Medical Society. Through this vital collaboration, our outreach mission is actively delivering:

✅ ​Medical Consultations & Care: Addressing immediate injuries, illnesses, and healthcare needs in displaced communities.

✅ ​Hygiene & Sanitation Support: Distributing essential kits to prevent health complications and restore dignity to families in evacuation spaces.

✅ ​Relief Distribution: Assisting those who have lost their homes as they begin the difficult journey of recovery.

​To our incredible donors: your rapid response and open hearts are making this mission possible. You are bringing hope right where it is needed most.

​We will continue to share updates from the ground as our operations progress. Please keep our medical teams, volunteers, and the resilient people of Mindanao in your thoughts and prayers. 🙏 💙

​

06/11/2026

🚨 URGENT EARTHQUAKE RELIEF APPEAL 🚨

A devastating 7.8-magnitude earthquake struck Mindanao, Philippines, on Monday causing widespread damage to homes, healthcare facilities, schools, and critical infrastructure. Thousands of families are facing displacement, ongoing aftershocks, and limited access to essential services.

HAND-Philippines, together with the South Cotabato Medical Society and local humanitarian partners, is responding with urgently needed medical supplies, equipment, and humanitarian assistance for affected communities in South Cotabato, Glan (Sarangani Province), General Santos City, and surrounding areas.

This response is part of HAND-Philippines' Post-Calamity Humanitarian Aid Program, which rapidly mobilizes local staff, volunteers, medical professionals, and resources to support communities affected by natural disasters across the Philippines.

Your donation will help:
❤️ Provide emergency medical care and supplies
❤️ Support medical missions serving earthquake survivors
❤️ Assist displaced and vulnerable families
❤️ Strengthen local disaster response and recovery efforts
❤️ Deliver life-saving aid to communities in need

Every gift—large or small—helps bring relief, healing, and hope to families working to recover from this disaster.

🙏 Please donate today and share this post to help us reach more supporters.

Donate here:
https://donorbox.org/humanitarian-aid-for-mindanao-earthquake

Together, we can help communities rebuild lives and restore hope.

06/09/2026

Our hearts are with the communities across Mindanao affected by the earthquake yesterday, June 8, 2026 (Philippine time).

Families have lost loved ones, thousands have been displaced from their homes, and communities are facing the difficult task of rebuilding and recovery in the days and weeks ahead.

At HAND-Philippines, we are in contact with our local partners and are closely monitoring the situation to better understand the needs of affected communities. Through our ongoing projects supporting Rural Health Units, delivering humanitarian aid, and helping rebuild after natural disasters, we remain committed to standing alongside communities when they need it most.

We will share updates as more information becomes available.

Please join us in keeping the people of Mindanao in your thoughts during this challenging time.

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/earthquake-southern-philippines-tsunami-warnings/

06/01/2026

We're excited to welcome Clara to the HAND-Philippines team this summer!

Clara is a Filipina-American pre-medical undergraduate student at Brown University and a Laidlaw Scholar. As part of her six-week Leadership in Action Project, she will travel to Bohol, Philippines, to follow up our April 2026 medical mission.

During her time in Bohol, Clara will be studying the impact of the HAND-Philippines free cataract surgery program on our patient’s quality of life as well as conducting narrative interviews with community members to better understand the long-term effects of our work. Her research will help us learn from the people we serve and strengthen our programs for the future.

We are grateful for Clara's dedication to service, learning, and community engagement, and we look forward to sharing updates from her journey.

Please join us in wishing her safe travels and a meaningful experience in Bohol!

05/25/2026

Our April 2026 Medical Mission was a powerful reminder of what compassionate and collaborative healthcare can accomplish.

Over the course of the mission, our teams:
• Served 2,800 patients at our community clinic outreach
• Performed 53 major elective surgeries
• Restored sight through 216 cataract surgeries

That's 3,069 lives touched all together this year!

This year also marked the debut of the educational arm of the HAND-Philippines Medical Mission — an initiative focused on building sustainable community health knowledge and empowering local healthcare providers and community members.

Training sessions included:
• Psychological First Aid
• Self Breast Examination Education
• Bystander CPR
• Neonatal Resuscitation
• And many other essential health and emergency response topics

Beyond the numbers, this mission was about partnership, service, and investing in long-term health outcomes for the communities we serve. We are deeply grateful to every volunteer, healthcare professional, educator, organizer, donor, and local partner who made this mission possible.

Together, we are not only providing care — we are rebuilding lives, restoring hope, and strengthening communities for the future.

04/17/2026

We are incredibly touched by the kind words from the Talibon Municipal Health Unit in the Province of Bohol, Philippines!

It was an absolute honor for HAND-Philippines to conduct the FREE Neonatal Resuscitation Education Program for their dedicated team.

💡 Moving Forward:

✅Our mission to empower healthcare workers continues.
✅We are actively working to expand this program.
✅More communities will soon have access to this life-saving training!

Thank you, Talibon, for your dedication to saving newborn lives! 👶❤️