The Ray Tye Medical Aid Foundation

By Terri Carlson

The Ray Tye Medical Aid Foundation gets petitions for help from all over the world. The majority of these requests come through the Foundation’s website (rtmaf.org). I review each request to see if it falls within our mission statement, “To provide life-saving medical treatments and surgeries to those who have no medical insurance or other means to pay for their care.” Regardless of whether or not we can help we respond to each request promptly and with respect. If we determine this is a life-saving situation, we follow up with the family to gather all medical information.

When the information has been received we talk with our medical Advisory Board to determine which hospital/doctor would be the most appropriate to handle the case. We then contact the hospital to get estimates for the treatment and to negotiate favorable financial arrangements. When all paperwork is complete the pending case goes to Mr. Tye for approval. Most cases are urgent and immediate action is needed to save a life. The Ray Tye Medical Aid Foundation is unique in its ability and willingness to make decisions within a matter of days; at this point the family and the hospital can be notified, travel arrangements can be made and the process of saving a life has begun.

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By Dr. Aaron Fay

Occasionally, seemingly small contributions can be quite powerful. Earlier this year we were privileged to make just such a contribution. On March 27, 2008, we were contacted about a small 3 ½ year old boy named Peter Oyuga who lived with his parents and siblings on a peasant farm in Bundiidi, Uganda.

Peter had been diagnosed with retinoblastoma, the most common pediatric intraocular malignancy. Unfortunately, the astute Ugandan ophthalmologists were unable to provide the care necessary to remedy his disease, which is eminently treatable here in the USA. Peter’s parents did everything they could to find care for their son, exhausting the family’s resources. When Peter finally came to the attention of The Ray Tye Medical Aid Foundation, Peter’s right eye disease had advanced considerably and the left eye was showing advancing as well. By the time transportation and legal logistics could be arranged, his health had deteriorated. Ultimately, we were able to provide Peter palliation and comfort in his waning days. Of additional benefit was the comfort his family felt knowing they had advocated to the limit for their beloved child.

Shortly after his arrival at the Hospital; Peter succumbed to his disease. At the request of his parents, we operated posthumously, removing massive facial tumors and making him presentable, in their eyes, for their traditional burial ceremonies.

Peter’s parents never stopped trying to give him the best care in the world, which they found at Mass. Eye and Ear Infirmary (a teaching arm of Harvard Medical School). They are inexpressibly grateful for what seems to us a trivial contribution. Hopefully, their efforts will help us save some of the several young children in Bundiidi who apparently have the same type of cancer. Currently, we are assembling a Team to travel to Uganda to begin the process of identifying and healing these children.

Our gratitude and many thanks to The Ray Tye Medical Aid Foundation for helping to make this possible for Peter, his family, and the children of Bundiidi.

By Emily Collins

Countless lives are being saved every day by the interventions of lay missionaries of all faiths and backgrounds who visit the earth’s poorest areas and lend their hearts and hands to people and situations that most of us would consider too difficult or hostile to approach. These are special people who view their missionary roles as a fundamental way of life. This world owes them its deepest gratitude. One of these people, Emily Collins of Concord Mass., is especially close to the Ray Tye Medical Aid Foundation. Emily is a trained social worker who advocates for impoverished families locally. Her husband, Tom, is a pediatrician in private practice and also with Concord Academy. They have six children, two grandchildren and many foster children. They are active members of their church where they receive spiritual and financial support for their mission work. Driven by their desire to help people, Emily and Tom began traveling to Honduras in 2001. The fruits of their labors have had, and will continue to have strong positive effects on the lives of many. Here, Emily’s own words can tell you so much more.

They are no longer just faces in the news…they have become our neighbors, our friends, our godchildren. Our journey to Honduras began in 2001, born of the desire to help others. Little did we know then the impact it would have on our own lives. (more…)

By A. Raymond Tye

Our Foundation has one major objective, and that is to help people who have life-threatening illnesses and no financial means via insurance or personal resources to pay for the medical attention needed to save or prolong their lives.

In order to maximize the use of our own funds, we must carefully negotiate with hospitals and doctors to procure the absolutely finest treatment for the patient at the minimum of cost to us. All of the negotiations must be carried out with great awareness that patient care is not jeopardized in favor of dollars saved.

This sometimes necessitates pitting one qualified hospital against another, and one doctor or medical team against another in our determination to reduce, where possible, the cost of each and every procedure we undertake to support. In today’s medical arena, hospitals tend to be quite competitive with each other for cases available.

Additionally, the positive public relations they gain by taking on high profile, difficult cases is a highly valuable asset to hospitals. The Ray Tye Medical Aid Foundation is able to attract media attention to the hospital, and this is a great asset in our ability to negotiate. (more…)

By Brian Cohen, M.D.

Dr. Cohen is a member of the Foundation’s Advisory Board.  He has been extremely helpful in evaluating cases, especially those from other countries, and determining the best treatment plan for each patient.  He has also found the appropriate doctors and surgeons for these cases, who have often provided their services at no cost.

I have had the privilege of being involved with The Ray Tye Medical Aid Foundation from its earliest planning stages.  It has been gratifying seeing the Foundation grow into a thriving charitable organization that is helping people worldwide.  I have been involved in coordinating the care for a number of young people from abroad who have medical problems requiring expertise beyond what can be found in their native lands. (more…)