S. Minnesota Ave. The island of Palawan is shaped something like an arrow, pointing southwest away from the rest of the Philippines. Near the arrow's tip in the town of Quezon, Dr. Susie Cayaon operates the Luke Society clinic, along with her husband, Ben. The area is so isolated that frequently the nearest working telephone is 90 miles away. Palawan is both beautiful and treacherous.
Orchids hang from lush tree branches, while cobras hide in the underbrush.
Palms sway over white beaches, as mosquitoes breed in stagnant pools, heightening the threat of malaria. Poor living conditions on the island are a constant for its people, and it is against this daily fact of life that the Luke Society wages its battle. At the clinic, Susie and her staff offer quality medical and dental care, regardless of their patients' income. Staff members like Dr. Nate Apostle, the resident dentist, could easily have a wealthy private practice, but he chooses instead to work in the clinic and accompany the team to outlying villages where they hold community field clinics. Sometimes his dental chair is simply a stump in the middle of a clearing.