vlad.tribnet.com / Issue #153 / Social life / Reading article...

A California woman’s recent trip to Primorye has anchored her medical relief organization in the region, and she will now train her sights on American coffers for supporting funds.

Cynthia Harvey’s PCI Medical Relief, which brings surplus medical equipment from the United States to aid Russia’s ailing medical system, needed organizational structure and credibility in the region before it could hope to attract American money.

Harvey spent her trip shuttling between government officials, businessmen, and doctors, seeking recognition and promises of help. Primorye Presidential Representative Victor Kondratov pledged assistance, and representatives of Vice Gov. Konstantin Tolstoshein were enthusiastic about the project, she said. Joint venture partner Dalkhimprom already provides warehouse space for stocks before they are sold at 20 percent of wholesale cost to local hospitals. “Over this visit and the last year, I have proved my credibility to get not only support here but to set up the structure to make this more than just a short-term relief effort,” she said.

Harvey’s next step will be to return to the United States with proof of her success here, and begin drumming up funds. Hillary Clinton is interested in the relief efforts, and Harvey is working with California Senator Barbara Boxer to ask for over $4 million back home for the project.

With the necessary funds, Harvey hopes to expand the program’s scope to include a drug and alcohol rehabilitation center and a youth sports and career complex. The company will also donate equipment to hospitals that cannot pay even the reduced cost of imported supplies.

PCI Medical Relief already trains local medical workers to use the American equipment, which is sometimes 30 years more advanced than the tools Russian doctors are using.

Before the two-week trip, Harvey had spent all of her pension and savings — in all, about $25,000 — to transport goods to the area. She could not continue without outside assistance.

“We’d brought over seven containers of supplies, and I came over at the end of my rope,” Harvey said.

“This was our last shot.”