After weeks of preparation and planning, the trip became a reality today when we all headed to our respective airports with our bags and boxes in hand. Charles, Dan, Kanishka and I departed from DC, checking in boxes of the donated cath equipment they will use during each heart procedure. Shilpi and Tanuj headed off from New York with film and camera equipment in hand. And I had my suitcase full of WCI t-shirts, stickers and coloring books all designed and made by Sedi just for the kids (thank you Josh for packing everything up so neatly so I could take all of these goodies! ).

So with our bags packed and checked-in, the six of us along with a 30 other medical professionals from Children’s National Medical and UVA were ready for the long journey to sunny, warm Uganda.

Special thanks to each of our families and friends for your love and support preparing us for this journey, and managing the home front while we are gone.
Travel itinerary: US to Amsterdam to Kigali to Entebbe to Kampala
Hours in air: appx 16 hours
Total travel time door to door: 30 hours
Number of airplane meals: 4

Count down to our first pediatric heart procedure: 48 hours!!

 

Written by Shejal Desai Carpenter