The TRIMEDX Foundation has worked purposefully since 2004 to meet the unique needs of healthcare clinics around the world and raise the standard of healthcare. Serving 33 countries, the Foundation and our volunteers have witnessed first-hand the unique challenges each healthcare facility faces, driving a shift to cast a wider net beyond the typical biomedical volunteers that have often filled our volunteer roster. As a Product Manager, TRIMEDX Associate Amanda Armstrong didn’t think that there would be opportunities for her to volunteer for the Foundation and support medical equipment and facility maintenance and repair in underserved communities; but the more she learned about the Foundation and our impact, the more she saw opportunities to leverage her ingenuity and make a global impact. Amanda recently returned from her second volunteer trip to BEIT CURE Malawi and shared how she has been inspired to go above and beyond the call of short-term medical mission trips.

Q: Why did you decide to volunteer with TRIMEDX Foundation?

A: When I first started at TRIMEDX in 2014, I worked in Supply Chain and reported to Mary Larkin. Mary was a big supporter of the Foundation and encouraged me to help where I could. My first experiences volunteering included a domestic trip to SOS International in Louisville, Kentucky and supporting the Foundation’s annual fundraiser, Mission on the Greens. I quickly became passionate about the Mission and wanted to do as much as I could to help.

Q: What are some highlights of volunteering?

A: I think the most surprising thing I experienced was seeing so much joy and happiness in a place that you wouldn’t expect it. It has really helped adjust my perspective gratitude. My favorite part of every trip is handing out the toys the TRIMEDX Craft-it-Forward Team made to the patients. The kids’ smiles light up the world!

Q: Who inspires you?

My grandmother. She was a true matriarch of our family and the one who taught me the importance of caring for others. As a result of the mission trips I have completed, and my grandmother’s influence, I am in the process of starting a non-profit organization. Our mission is to help patients with transportation costs get to the hospital for treatment. The hospital we will be supporting is BEIT CURE in Malawi – a site I have now visited twice with the Foundation!

Q: How did your first mission trip compare to your most recent? How have you stayed connected to the mission beyond the short-term trip?

A: Having now volunteered on 3 trips, one domestic and two to Malawi; I think the biggest difference between the first trips and this last trip is the confidence in being able to make a significant contribution. The Foundation’s partners have so many unique needs beyond medical equipment maintenance and repair that even if you are not a BioMed Tech, you can still make a difference. Part of the joy in volunteering is creating connections! I chat with the people I met in Malawi regularly – we have become quite good friends. I also volunteer for the Foundation in between medical mission trips and provide virtual support to our partners working on process improvements, reporting, and automation.

Q: Why would you recommend volunteering to others?

A: It is difficult to truly understand the impacts poverty has on our partner sites and the communities they serve until you experience it. It is a life changing and humbling experience. The Foundation is extremely well-organized and there to support you through the entire process. They make it easy and fun! There are also plenty of opportunities to give back and share support if taking a medical mission trip isn’t a fit for you. I encourage you to take the first step and complete the volunteer form. You may be surprised at the opportunities that will come your way; I know I was!

If you are interested in working with TRIMEDX Foundation to serve hospitals, clinics, and patients around the world to further the vision of raising the standard of healthcare, contact TRIMEDX Foundation at 317-275-1558 or by email here. 

Thanks to the generosity of so many, the TRIMEDX Foundation continues to make a global impact by raising the standard of healthcare for communities in need. TRIMEDX Foundation is a ministry committed to sharing knowledge, inspiring independence, and improving healthcare by meeting the unique needs of the communities we serve. For more information on volunteer opportunities, please visit our website, www.trimedxfoundation.org.