02/20/2026
Medical Missionaries volunteer, Patti Tutalo, recently arranged a site visit from a team of Coast Guard Cadets who are working on their Capstone Project with Medical Missionaries. Here is her report:
One of the joys of the last few months has been working with a cohort of cadets from the US Coast Guard Academy. Their capstone project involves working with Medical Missionaries, a nonprofit in Manassas, VA, with which I have volunteered for years. My intention for introducing this capstone to the cadets was to give them a different perspective than they would be given inside the gates of CGA. It will expose them to humanitarian missions, nonprofits, and, most importantly, leading with empathy.
Recently, they visited the Medical Missionaries Office and met with the president, Dr. Gil Irwin, and other volunteer staff. Dr. Irwin, a former Army doctor, had a private practice for years and now leads Medical Missionaries.
He had a lot of leadership advice and insight. The biggest takeaways:
1. Get to truly know your patients or the people you lead or serve.
2. Lead with empathy. This has been the key to leading an organization of all volunteers (no paid positions) for 27 years. It is also the motivator to keep going even on a bad day because poverty is always there.
3. Work hard. At 84, Dr. Irwin continues to lift heavy boxes and drive long distances to make deliveries.
I am grateful for the opportunity to work with the cadets and Dr. Elise Jones, their awesome professor. Their leadership, mentorship, and friendship are so appreciated.
