Every 4.6 seconds a child dies from a preventable disease.

This is just one of the astonishing facts that Medical Teams International aims to educate their visitors about.

Tigard’s Key Club has joined forces with Medical Teams International to assist with the team’s medical facilities that send help across the world. Thanks to partners from the Tigard center, Tigard students are able to work first hand with medical supplies and discover how they can send relief to families in poverty.

The Real Life Exhibit was shown to volunteers to display the poverty, disaster, and disease that affects various cultures every day. From the garbage dumps of Mexico City to the island of Japan that was struck by a tsunami, the exhibit showed how disaster can tear apart a community and how the team aims to aid.

“It’s terrible,” said junior volunteer Brianna Skinner, “but we can help.”

After being taken through the impactful Real Life Exhibit, the volunteers began to work with medical equipment to be packed and sent to countries in need. Pounds of gauze and other supplies were packed away by the volunteers.

“I think going through the exhibit helps our volunteers understand who they’re helping,” said Medical Teams International worker Gail King Yockey. “If you’re ever thinking ‘does packing gauze really help?’ you have no idea. Everything helps.”

More information about the cause can be found at https://www.medicalteams.org/ or at Medical Teams International located at 14150 SW Milton Court, Portland, OR, 97224.