Gainesville native in Navy Medicine Readiness and Training Command San Diego
Gainesville native Olivia Backstrom is serving with Navy Medicine Readiness and Training Command San Diego on board Military Sealift Command hospital ship USNS Mercy (T-AH 19) as part of Pacific Partnership 2022 (PP22), deployed in the Pacific Ocean.
Mercy departed its homeport in San Diego May 3, with more than 800 personnel aboard, including military medical and engineering personnel, support staff, partner nation representatives and civil service mariners to participate in the largest annual multinational humanitarian assistance and disaster relief preparedness mission in the Indo-Pacific. Each year the Pacific Partnership staff works collectively with host and partner nations to enhance regional interoperability and disaster response capabilities, increase security and stability in the region, and foster new and enduring friendships.
Backstrom is a hospital corpsman responsible for assisting in the prevention and treatment of disease, disability and injury using medical aid and preventive medicine procedures.
"I test patient specimens with analyzers to help doctors make accurate diagnosis for treatment," Backstrom said.
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Brittany Daley, regional director of the American Heart Association in Gainesville, has announced the Annual Heart Walk will be held Sept. 24 and the event co-chairs are Daurine Wehbe of Coldwell Banker MM Parrish and Christina Ramos with Touching Hearts at Home. The fundraising goal is $145,000.
This article originally appeared on The Gainesville Sun: US sailor serving with Navy Medicine Readiness and Training Command
