Scottdale chiropractor volunteers in Cambodia

By Rachel R. Basinger, FOR THE DAILY COURIER


Michael (Pallygus) Pagliacci is no stranger to giving back.

For the second year, the Scottdale chiropractor joined the Flying Doctors of America to bring medical attention to those in need.

Last year, Pagliacci traveled to Peru. This year, he traveled with 20 other doctors, including Flying Doctors of America founder Allan Gathercoal, to Cambodia — a first for the organization.

"We're not there to change them in any way or have a hidden agenda," Pagliacci said. "We're just there to treat them and to provide our services."

The trip lasted 12 days. Doctors from several disciplines, including an ear, nose and throat specialist for the first time, traveled for 24 hours to get to their destination.

"When we drove past the villages, we would wave to them and you could just see their eyes light up because you were acknowledging them," Pagliacci said. "It was a precious human interaction and one of the reasons it's priceless to do these trips."

When they got to their destination, it was time to begin talking with the villagers through an interpreter to begin diagnosing problems.

"We had a general surgeon who did appendectomies, and he also removed goiters from some of the villagers that were the size of tennis balls," Pagliacci said. "There seems to be a lot of thyroid problems there. It's like an epidemic, and they say it could be linked to their diet and the lack of iodine."

He added that they saw a lot more abnormalities on this trip than last year's trip to Peru.

"There were various types of tumors, including one guy with a tumor on his shoulder that probably weighed around 15 pounds," Pagliacci said. "There was one guy who had a tumor on the outskirts of his brain that was coming out his ear and eye."

His former mission trips and experiences helped prepare him for this trip.

"About 43 percent of the population lives under the poverty line, but the amazing thing is they're smiling and they're happy despite their circumstances," Pagliacci said.

While all the doctors saw as many people as possible, they could not get to all of those waiting to be treated.

"But there was never any pushing or shoving or bad behavior," Pagliacci said. "They were willing to wait until next year for treatment because the average pay in Cambodia each year is just $600, and the cost of some of the surgeries they were waiting for is about $200."

Pagliacci hopes to go on another trip with the Flying Doctors of America next year if his finances allow it.

"Once you do a trip like this, it's emotional and it gets you," he said. "It's like you can't wait to do the next one."

For now, he is hoping to get people to visit the organization's Web site at www.fdoamerica.org.

When people ask Pagliacci why he gets involved, his answer is simple.

"It just seems like it's the right thing to do," he said..