The Philadelphia TCC Chapter held its first meeting of 2019 at Malbec, an Argentine steakhouse on historic Head House Square. The 11 members in attendance heard from Dr. Karolynn Echols of Jefferson Hospital. Dr. Echols spoke about her nonprofit, Medicine in Action, which brings much-needed medical services to women of reproductive age in the developing world. Sharing photos from her trips to Niger and Jamaica (just two of many countries where she’s traveled), Dr. Echols shared information about the high mortality rates among childbearing women in the developing world, along with more personal stories, such as her first encounter with hippos and surviving a sandstorm in the Sahel. The restaurant served a delicious meal of arugula and apple salad, chorizo with lemon, strip steak with chimicurri sauce, and tres leches cake. The Malbec flowed, along with the conversation.
The chapter coordinator is interested in obtaining every chapter member’s mobile phone number in order to reach people at the last minute if there’s a weather event preventing us from having a scheduled meeting, so please text your name and number to her at (215) 923-4343 at your first opportunity.
Lastly, the Philadelphia Chapter’s meeting dates/venues/speakers for 2019 are:
- Sunday, May 19 at 5 p.m. at Mixto, a Cuban-Latin Fusion restaurant at 1141 Pine Street in the Washington Square West neighborhood of Philadelphia. Guest speaker (tentative): Former RAF fighter pilot and helicopter pilot Roger Woods, who recently completed a helicopter trip from Colombia to Florida. (RSVPs due May 12 or before.)
- Sunday, September 29 at 5 p.m. at Café Lava, featuring Polish/Eastern European cuisine at 13033 Bustleton Avenue in the Northeast section of Philadelphia. Guest speaker (tentative): Passport Health, a travel medicine company, will discuss the latest trends in vaccines for travellers. (RSVPs due Sept. 22 or before.)
