WINNEMUCCA - Mike Snow recently traveled nearly 7,000 miles to help provide "legs" to those who can't walk.
"It was a privilege," said the Winnemucca physical therapist and owner of Rehab Services of Nevada. "You can't imagine what a difference this program makes in people's lives."
This is the second time in 18 months that Snow has traveled to lower South America as part of a humanitarian effort sponsored by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Snow was once again accompanied by Matt Daybell, a former Winnemucca resident and fellow therapist, who now resides in Rexburg, Idaho.
The two volunteered their professional services to participate in a unique wheelchair project that included training 36 physicians, therapists and other health care providers in Uruguay.
Under Snow's supervision, the health care providers were then able to fit 67 patients with wheelchairs.
"While I enjoy working one-on-one fitting people with wheelchairs, it is the training we provide which really addresses the needs of thousands of people," said Snow.
The therapist said now that Uruguay has trained and certified professionals with experience fitting wheelchairs, LDS Charities will send 1,000 wheelchairs per year to the country.
Snow and Daybell also returned to Paraguay, the site of their first humanitarian mission, to reevaluate that program and "make a few tweaks," preparing that country for an influx of an additional 1,000 wheelchairs.
Snow said the church's wheelchair project has been in operation for the past seven years; to date over 500,000 wheelchairs have been distributed in about 100 countries along with the requisite education and fittings.
Still, Snow said there are 45 million people in the world who need, but don't have access to, a wheelchair. Because of gender bias, men and boys get 70 percent of chairs while disabled women and girls are largely left incapacitated. LDS Charities looks for partnering organizations that have a commitment to address this gender bias.
"So you can see there is much more work to be done," said Snow.
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has a long history
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of helping the poor and disadvantaged. Snow pointed to the early beginnings of the church in Utah.
In 1870, Salt Lake City was home to approximately 85,000 people who suffered heavily from diseases like influenza, small pox, measles, pneumonia, along with very high mortality rates resulting from inexperienced midwifery and home births.
Eliza R. Snow, one of Snow's ancestors and the then-head of the church's Relief Society organization, went to church president Brigham Young with a visionary plan. She requested that six women be sent to the Eastern United States and trained in medicine. Eliza told the church leader they needed to do something to invest in the next generation.
One of those women, Ellis Shipp, graduated with a medical degree and returned to the Salt Lake Valley in 1879. Over her lifetime, Ellis delivered 5,000 babies and trained 500 midwives to be certified and licensed, and the infant mortality rate began to drop.
That was the beginning of the church's humanitarian program. In the past 25 years alone, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints has provided assistance to nearly 30 million people in 179 countries.
"It's my privilege to play a small part in this great humanitarian effort," said Snow.
Snow said his trip was filled with incredible moments of triumph as wheelchair recipients began to regain their independence.
Snow shared the story of a young mother with a spinal cord injury who lost the use of her legs. For the next two years, she could not leave her house, but attempted to support her family by sewing clothing while lying in bed.
"When someone in this situation receives a wheelchair, they can now leave the house, go to their church, attend their children's events, become a part of the community and get a job," said Snow.
"The wheelchair becomes their legs and what you have given them is opportunity and independence."
Snow said the money for the wheelchairs is donated, but "not by a few wealthy."
"It comes from working families, including children, around the world," said Snow. "These are LDS families who believe we are all children of God and we should take care of each other."
He added, "They are trying to follow the example of Christ and believe their donation will make a difference"
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