Jamaican born, NYC based board certified Oral & Maxillofacial surgeon, Dr Dwight Williams was recently honored at a glitz awards function in Brooklyn, NY with an international award by the United Mission of Goodwill Inc (UMG), a US based organization that provides free medical services to persons in underdeveloped and developing countries. Other honorees included Ava-Gay Timberlake, the current Director at the Ministry of Health in Jamaica and Trinidadian born Jannette Mitchell, LPN.

Dr Williams, who hails from Little London in Westmoreland is a former Assistant Clinical Professor of Columbia University College of Dental Medicine and Associate Program Director for the Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery Program at Harlem Hospital. He is currently a Senior Attending Surgeon at Woodhull Hospital in Brooklyn where he performs major facial trauma and reconstruction cases. He maintains a private practice in Bronx, NY; a part time practice in Montego Bay, Jamaica and is a Consulting Oral & Maxillofacial Surgeon to the Jamaica Defense Force in Kingston. He has volunteered and supported several New York based non-profit organizations over the last 20 years including the UMG, Jamaica College Old Boys Association of New York (JCOBANY), Union for Jamaica Alumni Associations (UJAA) and Team Jamaica Bickle (TJB).

“I am humbled to be recognized with this prestigious award by the UMG’ Dr. Williams told the gathering.

‘It means a lot to me and gives me additional drive to continue the work of giving back and volunteering our services to our Jamaican people.”

Ms Timberlake, who joined the Ministry of Health in Jamaica in 2002 was appointed Director of International Cooperation in Health in 2011. She is the focal point for the Jamaican Diaspora as it regards healthcare and is also responsible for ensuring overseas medical mission to Jamaica are conducted according to the Government of Jamaica guidelines.

Ms. Mitchell has devoted 45 years of service to the Health & Hospital Corporation, working in the operating room at Woodhull Medical Center in Brooklyn, NY. She has also been a volunteer to UMG as they prepare for their annual outreach to the Caribbean.

2016 has been a very productive year for the UMG family having executed impressive medical missions to the Savanna La Mar Hospital in Westmoreland, Jamaica and St Andrew Technical High School in Kingston. In May, UMG donated an operation room table, an incubator, an infant warmer and other medical items to the Savanna La Mar Hospital. Previously, UMG hosted several medical missions to Jamaica included stops at the Trinity Ville health fair (2013); Port Antonio hospital & clinics (2014) and the May Pen Hospital & Bridgeport dental clinic in 2015.

Looking to the future, UMG President Lorna Rawle told the packed house, ‘As we embark on the preparation for the 2017 missionary outreach, I pray that God will renew our strengths and sharpen our visions enabling us to continue to look in the dark places where the forgotten abides. We will continue this journey as a unit as we seek to manage our resources.’