Every mission trip has its unique rhythm. Usually, the Perry-Medico team arrives in Yamasa on a Friday, giving us a weekend to acclimatize to the heat, the humidity, and the pace of life before the clinic doors open.
This year, however, threw us a curveball. Due to a booking change, our schedule shifted to a Monday-to-Monday itinerary. After leaving Toronto at 9:00 a.m. and arriving in Yamasa at 10:00 p.m., there was no time to adjust. We hit the ground running, opening the clinic at 8:00 a.m. the very next morning.
Despite the exhaustion, the compressed schedule, and environmental challenges, the trip was a resounding success. Here is a look at our week in the Dominican Republic.
Life in Yamasa: The Sensory Experience
As always, we were welcomed into the homes of local families. These homestays are the heart of our trip, grounding us in the community we serve.
Amenities in Yamasa vary from home to home. Very few houses have air conditioning, and hot water is a luxury usually provided by rooftop tanks warmed by the sun. However, in the Caribbean heat, those cold showers became a welcome way to cool off after a long day.
This year presented a new challenge: recent hurricane damage had caused widespread power outages. Without electricity, many homes couldn’t run fans at night. This meant sleeping with the windows open, which invites the soundtrack of the town inside.
Yamasa is a vibrant, noisy place. Between cars and motorcycles missing their mufflers, loud music, barking dogs, and the inevitable 4:00 a.m. roosters, a full night’s sleep was hard to come by. It is a noisy world—which makes the work we do there all the more vital.
Inside the Clinic
We operate on a first-come, first-served basis, and the need is always high. Because of the constant exposure to loud noise and a high prevalence of untreated ear infections, we see many clients with profound and asymmetric hearing loss.
The Process Our workflow is fast-paced but thorough.
- Cleaning: We encounter significant cerumen (earwax) buildup, so many clients require cleaning before testing can even begin.
- Testing & Molding: Once cleared, we test hearing levels. If a hearing aid is needed, we take an impression.
- Manufacturing: We create custom earmolds in our on-site lab in under an hour.
- Fitting: Clients tested in the morning return in the afternoon for their fitting.
This year, we ran two fitting rooms with two clinicians working simultaneously. By the end of the week, we had successfully fit 185 hearing aids.
Adapting Our Technology
The environment in Yamasa is tough on electronics. Traditionally, we fit Behind-the-Ear (BTE) models because they are durable. However, Receiver-in-Canal (RIC) devices are becoming more common in our donation pool—making up about 55% of what we fitted this year.
While RICs are excellent devices, they don't hold up as well in the extreme heat and humidity, and finding replacement parts locally is difficult. However, our philosophy is to make the best use of what is available to us to help as many people as possible.
To ensure longevity, we continued training a local man who has been part of our group for years. He is learning basic cleaning and troubleshooting techniques to help keep these devices working long after we have returned to Canada.
A Lasting Impact
The Perry-Medico mission is about more than just Audiology. With the Mother/Baby and Pharmacy programs working alongside us, we are able to provide a holistic approach to healthcare.
Thanks to the continued support from our volunteers and fundraising initiatives, we are seeing real improvements year after year. We are doing more than handing out devices; we are promoting independence and strengthening community well-being.
Despite the heat, the noise, and the lack of sleep, the gratitude of the people in Yamasa makes every moment worth it.
