DAVIS, Calif. — The line formed before sunrise.
Families from the rural communities of Cañaveral and Villa del Carmen arrived in the early morning hours, settling in for a wait that could stretch for hours. For many of them, it had been years since they had seen a doctor. Some had never even visited a dentist.
UC Davis women's soccer's Lakelee Perkins stood among the people waiting to help them.
"Seeing entire families enter the clinic exposed how healthcare inequities affect communities as a whole," Perkins said.
The UC Davis women's soccer forward made the journey to Panama as part of Global Medical Brigades, an international nonprofit that deploys volunteer clinics to rural communities with limited access to healthcare. During her trip, Perkins worked alongside physicians and healthcare professionals in mobile clinics serving indigenous and rural populations where scarce infrastructure, economic hardship and geographic isolation combine to put basic medical care out of reach.
It is a world removed from the soccer pitch. And that was precisely the point.
"Our brigade to Panama was an eye-opening experience, allowing me to step outside of my comfort zone and witness firsthand the disparities in healthcare access that many people around the world face," she said.
Perkins served in triage, shadowed physicians during patient consultations and distributed medications through the clinic's pharmacy station. The work was structured but relentless, with patients cycling through intake, consultations, dental stations and educational workshops throughout each clinic day. She and her fellow volunteers collaborated with local health professionals and community health workers who serve these same neighborhoods year-round.
The clinical work was only part of it for Perkins.
Public health education formed an equally essential pillar of the brigade. Perkins engaged directly with children and community members, leading workshops on hygiene practices, nutrition and preventative care. In communities where that foundational knowledge is not taken for granted, the conversations carried weight.
"In communities such as the ones we visited, patients are not always provided the education that we assume is so fundamental," she said.
Language also presented its own challenge. Perkins worked through translation and found ways to connect across the barrier.
"Despite language barriers, the welcoming gratitude expressed by the families of Cañaveral and Villa del Carmen was unmistakable," she said.
The passion and adaptability required to bridge those gaps overseas mirror the drive she brings to the Aggies' front line. As a redshirt freshman this past fall, Perkins scored the first goal of her collegiate career in UC Davis' 2-0 Causeway Cup victory at Sacramento State, a 51st-minute strike into the upper netting that stood as the game-winner and helped extend the Aggies' unbeaten streak against their crosstown rival to seven matches. She was named Big West Freshman of the Week for the performance.
On the field, she is building something as the Aggies enter year two under Head Coach Kat Martz and begin their inaugural season in the Mountain West in 2026. In Panama, she was reminded of why it matters to build something off it as well.
"This experience challenged me to reflect, bringing a sense of gratitude that diminished the weight of my own daily stresses," Perkins said. "The lessons that I learned from this experience will stay with me as I move through my professional career, unlocking commitment to bridge the gap in healthcare, enhancing the ability to empathize with others, and deepening my passion for caring for others."
ABOUT UC DAVIS ATHLETICS:
UC Davis, ranked No. 2 among public universities by the Wall Street Journal in the value of a college degree, is home to 40,000 undergraduate students and 12,000 employees. Ranked top in the United States in agriculture and forestry as well as No. 1 in veterinary medicine, UC Davis is located in a true California college town nestled between world-class destinations such as the San Francisco Bay Area, Napa Valley and Lake Tahoe. Over 650 Aggie student-athletes compete in 25 Division I varsity sports, with 16 sports transitioning to the Mountain West Conference beginning in 2026–27.
For more information, visit https://ucdavisaggies.com/.
