Ryan Dadds' Medical Mission to Honduras

Becoming a Kialoa Elele’ Ambassador has been an exciting endeavor and has reignited my drive to improve my SUP surfing. Becoming a physician assistant has given me the means and has provided opportunities to occasionally do what my second dream career would be, which is to travel and surf around the world.  I would like to share with you all my insanely fortunate experience where I enjoyed 10 days of doing what I love; helping others and SUP surfing.

My most recent opportunity led me to join the Predisan Surgical Brigade. Predisan Health Ministries is a Christian organization founded in 1986 that provides healthcare, spiritual outreach, and community development to the people of Honduras.

This was my 3^rd year joining the brigade in Catacamas, Honduras where we perform surgeries for those in great need with scarce financial resources. Now we’ve all heard of how dangerous Honduras can be, but I have never had more kind, gracious patients in the 8 years as a PA as I have had in the 3 mission trips here.  This year, we performed over 45 surgeries in 4 days which included gallbladder removals, hernia repair, and gynecologic surgeries. All surgeries went well and these people were able to return to their normal routines which include hard labor and poor living conditions for most. 

After the mission was complete, we were then rewarded with surf and sun! One of the surgeons from the mission joined me on a trip to El Salvador. There, we enjoyed 3 days of surfing amazing world class waves, rest and delicious food around the area of La Libertad.

I recently became a Kialoa Elele’ or Ambassador and truly believe in what they stand for because one of their values is a value I live by; MĀLAMA which is Hawaiian for stewardship. As Kialoa says, “We honor the traditions of the past and dreams of the future by caring for people and our environment.” I hope my story inspires you to do for others and have a blast while doing it!