My name is Sommer Mitchell. I am from Greensboro, North Carolina. I am pursuing a Bachelors of Science in Nursing from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. I currently work as a nursing assistant at Duke University Hospital.
I came to Peru as a HOP Volunteer in the spring of 2020 to participate in the Hands to Care program. During this trip I was able to help give Tetanus and Hepatitis B vaccines, help with triage during a healthcare campaign in a prison, and distribute Covid-19 safety knowledge. All of these things allowed me to explore public health first hand and confirm my passion of helping others through nursing.
After returning to Peru that spring, I became a Campus Coordinator for Hands on Peru to help recruit volunteers and organize public health presentations given by our CEO. I am continuing to support HOP and help prepare volunteers for their trips. I hope to visit Peru again and be able to work in CESAPU.
Hands on Peru opened my eyes to the inequalities in healthcare and helped me realize I want to play a part in combating those inequalities. Emphasizing education and prevention methods has really stuck with me since my trip and helped me to think differently about the ways that I want to make my impact. I will forever be grateful to the lessons, opportunities, and adventures that HOP has given me.