Members of the public are invited to sample international foods, view cultural displays and hear live music representing global traditions during an event on the campus of the West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine (WVSOM).
The International Festival, hosted by the WVSOM student chapter of DOCARE International, will take place from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. on Feb. 21, in the Conference Center in the WVSOM Student Center. The cost to attend is $15. The event is intended to help the chapter pay for its spring medical service trip to Iquitos, Peru, where students will work alongside local partners to help provide medical care.
DOCARE International is a medical outreach organization dedicated to providing health care and education in under-resourced communities around the world. The organization offers global experiences to students, resident physicians and volunteers, giving them a firsthand understanding of how social and cultural circumstances influence health.
The International Festival is the WVSOM chapter’s largest annual fundraiser. Hannah Povroznik, a Class of 2028 student who serves as chapter president, said the festival supports a trip that will allow students to learn to provide care in challenging circumstances.
“This vibrant event invites the campus and local community to come together in support of a mission that reaches beyond borders,” Povroznik said. “By attending the International Festival, guests are not only enjoying a night of culture and entertainment, they are helping to empower future physicians and extending compassionate care to communities that need it most.
The festival also will feature silent and live auctions, with items including seven international vacations and a Siesta Key, FL, vacation.
Funds raised will pay for medical supplies and medications such as antiparasitics for the Peru trip, which will take place on Mar. 7-14.
