Claire Wang University of Texas AED Student
When did you first become involved with the AED/OKD connection?
I joined AED during the fall of my freshman year and quickly got involved with planning and
fundraising for OKD through the Pie A President (PAP) committee that following spring. Over the
years, I became more involved with PAP, from helping with campus outreach to eventually
serving as Logistics Chair, where I helped coordinate the behind-the-scenes planning for our
annual spring fundraiser. This past year, our team raised $48,000 in support of OKD’s surgical
missions, which made the opportunity to join the Guatemala team especially meaningful. Along
the way, I learned so much about leadership, teamwork, and all the moving parts that go into
making an event like PAP possible. More importantly, I became increasingly invested in OKD’s
mission and wanted to see firsthand the impact of the work we were doing through AED.
Have you participated in other global missions focused on pediatric wellness and
outreach? If so, how have those experiences shaped your work?
I had the opportunity to participate in another global medical outreach trip through Volunteers
Around the World in the winter of 2025, when a group of students traveled to Guatemala to
support primary care at a local clinic in San Pedro La Laguna. We also traveled to underserved
communities around Lake Atitlán and worked with a local organization to organize a day of
activities for children in the area! That experience gave me a greater appreciation for the
challenges families can face in accessing healthcare, especially in more remote communities. It
also showed me how meaningful it can be to connect with patients and families beyond just their medical needs, something I was really excited to carry into my experience with OKD.
Is there a specific OKD case that had a particularly meaningful impact on you?
One patient who really stood out to me was a little boy with an undiagnosed genetic condition.
His mother brought him to the Moore Center, unsure of whether we would be able to help, but
told us how grateful she was for any care we could provide her baby. She shared that they had
tried for many years to have a child and that he was their little angel.
had the opportunity to follow his experience throughout the trip, from his initial screening and
spending time with him in child life before surgery to observing his procedure with Dr. Vani Menon,
seeing him recover in the PACU, and watching him reunite with his mother afterward. The next
morning, I joined Dr. Menon for rounds and got to see her check in with the family again. What
really stuck with me was the continuous care and reassurance she provided throughout the
entire process, something I saw reflected in the rest of the team as well. No matter what stage
of care a patient was in, everyone was so attentive to not only their medical needs, but also the
concerns and emotions of their families. Seeing this firsthand reminded me how surgical care
extends far beyond the operating room, and that even the smallest interactions can make a
difference for a patient and their family.
Is there anyone who guided or facilitated your participation during the preparation
for our mission?
So many people helped make this experience possible! I especially want to thank Leilani Briseno and
Jordan Tarter for keeping me updated on trip details and logistics throughout the preparation process.
I’m also incredibly grateful to Dawson Hoang and Ninette Sokhon, two AED members who had
previously participated in OKD missions, for answering my questions and supporting me both
during the application process and after I was accepted for the Fall 2026 trip.
I also want to give a huge thank you to everyone I’ve worked with through Pie A President,
especially the 2025–2026 chairs and my Logistics committee, for making the fundraising side of
this experience so rewarding. And of course, I’m so thankful for the entire OKD Guatemala team and The Moore Center, who were not only incredibly dedicated to the patients and families we served, but also so welcoming and willing to share their knowledge and answer my many questions throughout the trip!