CENTENNIAL, Colo. — Project C.U.R.E., which stands for Commission on Urgent Relief and Equipment, is an international nonprofit organization that collects donated medical supplies and sends them to areas of the world where they are needed most.
Dr. James Jackson, who founded the organization in 1987, was inspired to create Project C.U.R.E. after he visited hospitals in Brazil and witnessed the deprived conditions they had to operate under. He saw firsthand the plight of patients who were unable to receive any medical attention because the hospitals did not have the resources they needed to treat them.
These experiences served as inspiration for him. Within a month of his return to the United States, Dr. Jackson had amassed a quarter of a million dollars in medical supplies in his garage, and used his own money to ship them to Brazil.
While it was this first shipping container that started it all, Project C.U.R.E. now reaches much farther. The organization gathers medical equipment from all across the United States and has become “the largest provider of donated medical supplies and equipment to developing countries around the world.”
One of the organization’s main projects, a large-scale version of what Dr. Jackson first did in his garage, is called C.U.R.E Cargo.
Large shipping containers full of medical supplies are sent to hospitals in need all around the world. Each medical center is assessed to determine which supplies would be most beneficial and would fill the most needs in that area before supplies are gathered. This ensures that the maximum number of people are assisted.
A doctor at a health center in Uganda that received supplies from the C.U.R.E. Cargo project praised the organization’s work when he said, “Project C.U.R.E. hasn’t simply supplied this community center with some medical equipment, supplies and stethoscopes. You have renewed our excitement, restored the hope we had, strengthened our faith and resolve to make a difference.”
Another program run by the organization, called Kits for Kids, is specifically targeted at collecting medical supplies for underprivileged youth, and Project C.U.R.E. has made it easy for people to get involved.
The bags to create the kits can be ordered for a small fee of five dollars. Recipients can then fill the bag with medical items from a specified list that includes critical things like over-the-counter pain medication, bandages, insect repellent, antibiotic cream, soap, and toothbrushes.
The kits can be shipped to or dropped off at the organization’s warehouses, where they will then be shipped to children in need, making it simple for people to donate and make a difference.
Project C.U.R.E., by working in over one hundred countries to achieve better medical standards, has positively affected the lives of countless people. In 2013 alone, the organization shipped 53 million dollars of medical supplies to countries that needed them with the help of over 15,000 volunteers.
The organization stresses the urgency of global medical issues, and has stated, “Today, [our]work and mission are more important than ever, helping to bridge staggering health resource gaps in the developing world by empowering doctors and nurses with the tools they need to treat disease, deliver vaccines, perform life-changing surgeries and ensure safe childbirth.”
Ideally, Project C.U.R.E. will continue to find support from donors as its work is undoubtedly changing lives.
Sources: Charity Navigator, Project C.U.R.E 1, Project C.U.R.E.2
Photo: Project Cure.com