The Foundation for African Medicine & Education, FAME, was founded in 2002 by US doctor Frank Artress along-side his wife, mental health professional Susan Gustafson.
Former California based Dr Frank Artress found his purpose after a nearly fatal climb on Kilimanjaro prompted him to sell everything and dedicate himself to healing the poor, often in remote areas of the African bush in Tanzania. His nonprofit FAME Africa, is has built a medical clinic, mobile medical clinic and now building a hospital.
Production notes:
We spent several weeks following Dr Frank and staff at their medical clinic in Karatu, shadowing Dr Frank at The Rift Valley Children’s Village where he conducts a 2 day clinic twice a month, and also well traveling to a remote bush area for a week of mobile medical clinic service. This was an amazing experience and we will never forget the beautiful, warm hearted people we met, our cozy volunteer bungalow with a stunning view of the hills of Kilimanjaro at the FAME compound and especially the experience of the mobile medical clinic in the bush, which was quite extraordinary. In addition to Dr Frank and his lovely, hard working wife Susan who Frank calls ‘the number one boss’ and wonderful Volunteer Coordinator Caroline Epe who Frank calls ‘the number two boss’.. We now feel like our family has grown to include these amazing change agents who are truly making a difference in the lives of others. If ever there was a cynic of ‘doing good in Africa’, these people will change your hearts and minds forever.
UPDATE:
Within one day of our short doc being released a retiring Belgium doctor saw the film and contacted Dr Frank to offer the donation of high end ultrasound medical equipment. The Belgium doctor had been researching potential recipients of the medical equipment and realized after seeing the film, that Dr Frank’s hospital in Tanzania was the perfect match. GoodMakers Films will be on hand to film the medical equipment installation and the generous Belgium doctor has also offered to train the staff on the use of the equipment, as well as volunteered his services for a longer stint. So much for retirement! GoodMakers Films salutes the generous Belgium doctor and is pleased to have helped to facilitate this significant in-kind donation of goods and services.
