Nursing student Kailey Bruce always wanted to help.

It’s just in her to give and she hopes she can get the support of her community to fulfil her passion.

At the end of April she is embarking on a humanitarian trip to Dominican Republic to accomplish this aim with the skills she has learned as a nursing student studying at Georgian College.

“When I heard about this trip, which is offered at Georgian College for those in their second year in nursing school, I knew I had to apply,” said Bruce in an e-mail. “I am hoping to show these people in the Dominican that someone cares for them and is willing to help them with some of their health issues. Many of the people there only see health care once a year, which is provided by the students that go each year. This will also be a great experience for me to see if overseas nursing is really for me or not.”

Originally from Brace­bridge, Bruce, who is studying in her second year to be a Registered Practical Nurse at Georgian’s Barrie campus, will be travelling to the Ocoa Mountains in Dominican Republic under the Sarnia, Ontario-based charity Rayjon Share Care program, a not-for-profit group started in 1986. Its focus is to improve the lives of people in Haiti and Dominican Republic.

She has already covered her personal expenses of travel, but hopes she can bring more to these people with the help of the public with donations toward the purchase of medical supplies such as medication, bandages and wheelchairs. Medical donations will also be accepted.

There will be two groups of 20 students visiting the country from her program and the Bachelor of Science in Nursing program. They will arrive April 22 and return April 30. Along with two hockey bags full of medication brought by each student, the group will be taking wheelchairs, crutches, canes, adhesive bandages, gauze squares and dressing supplies, slings and stethoscopes.

The groups are expected to visit with close to 2,000 people over the weeklong visit to set up and help run nursing and other health-related clinics, do community health assessments and home visits, work on special health-related projects, visit hospitals and learn about health issues that affect the locals of Dominican Republic.

This annual trip not only gives much-needed medical help to communities in dire need of such assistance, it brings insight to the Canadian students.

“For me this is such a humbling opportunity, as here in Canada health care is so easy to access and there are so many people who abuse the system. We are so fortunate over here,” she said.

Although it’s her first trip to the Dominican, she isn’t new to humanitarian missions. A few years ago she participated in a mission trip with Global Expeditions in Costa Rica for a week where she performed skits, cleaned, helped build and visited nursing homes, communities and schools.

Bruce said there is a need for vitamins, pain relievers, cough and cold medications for adults and children, antibiotic, antifungal and anti-flammatory creams or ointments, cardiac medications, respiratory medications and gastro medication. She added the medication can be a year after the stamped expiry date. Financial donations must be received by March 29, for tax receipts and can be sent to 26 Kevin Crescent, Bracebridge, Ontario, P1L 1A8. Any donations larger than $20 are eligible for a tax receipt and should include a name, phone number, and address with donations. Make cheques payable to Rayjon Share Care Inc. Any cheque sent after March 29 is not eligible for a tax receipt from Rayjon, and should be made payable to Bruce.

For anyone interested in donating medication or supplies, telephone (705) 645-8205.