Wow. I can’t believe that I’ve come so far this summer – it’s been 8 weeks here in Brazil already. By this time tomorrow, I’ll be back in the United States, getting ready to start my last year at Rice.

On Friday, Yian and I gave a presentation to most of the Prevention Department, as a final report of all the work we’ve done here in Barretos. Presenting in front of that many people was very nerve-wracking, but I think it went well in the end.

Here’s the final wrap-up of all our work:

1. Assessment of Technology

We brought the Global Focus Microscope and a pair of Gynecological Stirrups with us, and while we were here, we had the opportunity to test these technologies. After discovering that the Mobile Units already were equipped with gynecological tables, we focused most of our efforts on the GFM.

We tested the GFM and received a lot of good feedback from users here at the hospital, especially concerning the use of the mechanical slide and the stage for cell phones. I wrote more about our tests in this post, and we’re still awaiting the final results of our experiments.

2. Mammography Mobile Unit Solutions

While here in Barretos, we were able to work closely with the staff of the Prevention Department, and especially with the nurses and staff that work on the Mobile Units. During our time with them, we were able to work together to come up with new ideas to solve problems they had been working with.

Though we proposed a long list of concepts, we implemented two projects while we were here: the Mammography MU blog, and an educational booklet.

The blog was designed to improve communication between nurses on different mobile units, and between nurses and coordinators at the hospital. It’s been up and running for three weeks now, keeping a searchable record of the work being done daily by the nurses on the mobile units.

The educational booklet is a small, 8-page booklet that can be printed on a single page. It was designed to be given to patients, as a way of reducing misinformation. It has information about breast cancer, mammograms, cervical cancer, Pap smears, and the Mobile Unit. We weren’t able to field test this booklet with real patients to get feedback, but the Prevent Department has the first draft to work with and modify as they see fit.

3. UM3 Training E-Book

I’ve talked before about the e-book, and it’s development as we worked with Dr. Carlos here in Barretos and with the local nurses on our trip to Mato Grosso. Right now, our e-book still remains in first draft form because there are several changes that we’d like to implement, most important of which are the addition of new skin cancer photos, showing lesions that are more borderline, and the explanation for why or why not they are cancerous. We hope that this e-book will prove useful to the local nurses that work with Mobile Units and increase the effectiveness of their pre-screening process.

4. Inspiration for New Technologies

Another objective that Yian and I have had while here has been to find inspiration for new technologies, and bring these ideas back with us to Rice, where they might be potential design projects in BTB’s future. Our colleagues here in Barretos were more than happy to let us know what kind of technologies (some more…far-fetched than others) that they would like to have while working in the field. Discussing these ideas was great for us as students, and we’ve got a lot of ideas to bring back with us.

 

And finally…

A few weeks ago, my friend Wagner taught me a Portuguese word that doesn’t have a very good English translation: “saudade.” Saudade, he told me, was something you say right before a long journey. It’s the feeling of missing someone, but being glad that you got to spend time with them.

My time in Barretos has been amazing, and I feel utterly blessed that I was able to spend time in this magnificent place, with such wonderful people. I’m so grateful that I got to meet them and have them in my life; they made this summer incredible.

Adeus, Barretos. Vo sentir saudade.

Jessica