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CHORES
The Children’s health Organization Relief and Educational
Services (CHORES) is a not-for-profit, non-sectarian children’s
health organization based in Jacksonville, Florida. Founded in 1989,
CHORES is comprised of pediatricians, pediatric surgeons and anesthiologists,
pediatric sub-specialists, pediatric physical, occupational and
speech therapists, prosthetic specialists, engineers, contractors,
and educators - all willing to donate their time and expertise to
assist with children’s health care on a global basis. Although
volunteers come from all over the United States, the majority of
CHORES members are drawn from the local pediatric community.
The Committee on International Children’s Health Care of
the American Academy of Pediatrics has called for the development
of “chapter to chapter liaisons”, between children’s
health care communities in the United States and those in other
countries. CHORES, with its current and ongoing relationships with
the country of Grenada in the Eastern Caribbean and Zamboanga in
the Philippines has developed such liaisons. By listening to and
working closely with local health care professionals, CHORES has
provided direct medical services, educational programs and needed
medical equipment to assist with pediatric health care in these
countries. Also certain Grenadian children requiring complex surgery
or evaluation have been treated at Wolfson Children’s Hospital
in Jacksonville.
Annually in developing world, fourteen million children die before
reaching the age of five. For the civilized society this is a tragedy
that is largely preventable. Knowledge already exists – and
for the most part is not highly technical – that can positively
impact upon these children. The Plan of Action from the World Summit
on Children states: “There is no cause which merits a higher
priority than the protection and development of children, on which
the stability of all nations and, indeed, of human civilization
depends”.
There are numerous ways those of us who are more fortunate can
respond to the requests and needs in other parts of the world. Assistance
in the form of provision of recent books and journals, educational
programs, assisting with immunizations, the direct provision of
health care and medical supplies are but a few examples. These efforts
can become truly beneficial when coordinated with local health officials
and practitioners.
We at CHORES have mobilized the resources and personal of the pediatric
community in Jacksonville, Florida to assist with the provision
of pediatric medical care on an international basis and realize
our efforts to be labors of love.
Contact us today for additional information.
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