MEDRIX

MEDRIX works to save lives and improve the quality of life of disadvantaged people in Vietnam by providing Medical, Educational and Development Resources through International eXchange. In 2000, MEDRIX became an official non-profit organization in Washington State and in 2002 MEDRIX received official Non-Government Organization licensure to operate in Vietnam. Prior to this, co-founder and Executive Director LaRelle Catherman was invited to conduct research alongside Vietnamese physicians on home treatment for diarrhea in Hue, Vietnam. It became evident that most children suffered from diarrhea due to lack of safe water. Co-founder of MEDRIX, meteorologist, and businessman Robert Catherman undertook the task of finding a method of providing safe, drinkable water. He, along with many MEDRIX volunteers, began to work with provincial leaders to develop an affordable and sustainable water treatment system. MEDRIX began to grow as a result of these initial project ideas and new programs were put into place to address the greater healthcare, nutrition, and hygiene needs of under-served rural villages. MEDRIX accomplishes its goal of saving lives and improving the quality of life in Vietnam through the following endeavors: -Health and hygiene education for children in hand washing, oral care, and nutrition. -Providing education for women in nutrition, food preparation, food safety, along with health and hygiene during pregnancy. -Autism education training for health workers and community education efforts to ease the burden of autism in children. -Life-saving heart surgeries for disadvantaged children and young adults. -Pediatric education workshops in World Health Organization approved curricula for health workers in rural Vietnam. -Nursing education workshops for professional nurses at National Pediatric Hospital and Hue Central Hospital. -GIS mapping workshops to teach Vietnamese healthcare workers how to gather pertinent health information for epidemiological tracking purposes.