Working on the Navajo Nation in Shiprock, New Mexico (photos by John Carroll)
In January, John spent three weeks working at the Northern Navajo Medical Center in Shiprock, New Mexico. He volunteered at the federally run hospital through Project Hope. John was impressed by how well run the hospital was. During his time at the hospital, John worked at an outdoor COVID clinic. He also did telemedicine, checking in on people at home who were on oxygen. The Navajo Nation, which is in New Mexico, Arizona, and Utah, is larger than the state of West Virginia. It is a challenging place to live: one third of the people don't have running water and only 60 percent have electricity. Despite the wide open spaces, COVID was rampant on the Nation earlier in the year. However, since then, rates have declined. Medical workers have done a great job getting the vaccine to people. But COVID took its toll. John talked with many people who had lost multiple family members to the virus. Besides the difficulties of poverty, many of the Navajo people have co-morbidities such as