FTC Canada Medical-Dental Teams

2010-01-25T06:24:00.001-08:00

Please direct your attention and your browser to our NEW news & blog location at http://ftccanadacorporate.blogspot.com/.

This site combines news and information from all programs and initiatives in one place. You can also find the blog by visiting our new website at www.ftccanada.ca. The new website will feature up to date information on our work in Canada and around the world.

2009-06-25T13:13:00.000-07:00

"Scugog helping hands stretch to foreign land" by Dr. Steve Russell (printed in the Port Perry Star)

newsdurhamregion.com

2009-06-25T13:09:00.000-07:00

"From Scugog to the slums of El Salvador" by Dr. Steve Russell (printed in the Port Perry Star).

www.newsdurhamregion.com

2009-06-25T13:06:00.000-07:00

Check out this story about Dr. Cross and his team (printed in the Milton Canadian Champion):

www.miltoncanadianchampion.com

2009-06-25T12:30:00.000-07:00

Every medical-dental trip inevitably involves a camera (certainly more than one) and a high quality video camera.

On the first trip to Honduras we were fortunate to have a camera person with 25 years experience! The result was terrific footage of the team in action. On this last team trip, we had another experienced camera person so we acquired good footage and were able to create the following video:

The video and an accompanying slide show are give to the team members at a reunion event. The most recent reunion was held in Port Perry, ON on June14th. A considerable number of our team professionals reside in "The Port".

Please look for new posts about future team trips ... and thank you for partnering with us.

Check out more videos from FTC Canada at YouTube!

The Best of El Salvador

2009-05-11T12:11:00.000-07:00

The El Salvador Medical-Dental project was my first with FTC Canada, and my first experience visiting a developing country in this way. At first concerned about what services I, a person with no medical or dental training could offer (I later learned that there a many things that a person who wants to help can do, no matter what their skills), I was pleased to be asked to document the trip with photographs, videos and blog entries.

Leading up to the trip, I tried to prepare myself for what I imagined I might experience. I thought that I would probably see a lot of things that would make me very sad, things that would disturb and upset me, and things that would make me feel very guilty about the privileges and opportunities I have as a Canadian.

I was wrong.

I did see things that made me very sad. I did hear stories that disturbed me, like that of the young woman who suffered extensive keloid scarring after her husband drunkenly took a knife to her many years ago. I did feel guilty, after being invited into a woman’s hut in Somalia, and saw how very, very little she had. Her experience is so far removed from my own that it took several minutes for the level of poverty she lives in to actually register for me. When it did, I was overcome.

So yes, in these very poor communities, there is sadness, and there is suffering, and there is loss, but I was wrong in the fact that more than all of these things, there is love.

I saw a tremendous amount of love in the way Marcos, an 87 year-old woman, walked for hours in order to seek medical care for her adopted son who was unable to walk the distance himself due to his cerebral palsy. I saw love in the community centre in Amayito, run by a woman named Virginia who dedicated herself to providing an oasis of safety and education in a violent, gang-ridden area. I saw love in the orphanage in Remar, where children removed from abusive environments were given a safe, happy home in which to grow and flourish, and to know and share love.

I saw love in mothers and fathers holding their children. I saw love in the smiles and laughter of the people we met who have nothing but each other, and still are thankful.

And I saw love, compassion and care from every single member of the Medical-Dental team.

The morning before our first clinic, Ken Dick spoke briefly to the team about how it was our job, above all, to be a beacon of light and hope for the people we met, through the care and compassion we gave them. What I have learned on this project is that they were also a beacon of light and hope for us, in their tremendous capacity to love.

I saw a little bit of the worst of El Salvador, but I believe that more importantly I saw much of the best. I feel honored to have been invited to witness and document these great moments of love.

About Julie Puckrin
Julie Puckrin is a Canadian film and television writer, living in Vancouver BC. A frequent guest lecturer at the Vancouver Film School, her credits include work in reality television, animation, and short film.

Saturday April 25, 2009 – Day 5 Clinic

2009-04-26T06:50:00.000-07:00

Somalia is a slum. It is a collection of 750 families, living in huts made from any combination of scavenged metal, wood or canvas, in an inner city squat in San Salvador. Some families are fortunate enough to have 10 by 10 feet huts with some basic furniture and electricity stolen from the city. Others have significantly less; sometimes only a small pallet on the floor for the whole family, in less than 4 by 6 feet of space, with no electricity, windows, water, or washroom facilities.

Their story is a sad one. Some time ago, a man claiming to be the landowner came to Somalia offering to sell the families the land their huts were on for $15 USD each. Hopeful to be landowners, many managed to scrape this significant amount of money together. After paying, they discovered that the man was not the landowner at all, and that they had devastatingly lost their hard-earned money to a con artist. He fled and was never found.

Today was a very difficult day for the team, both physically and emotionally. Physically, medical, dental, pharmacy and distribution were set up outside under tarps in the few open spaces to be found in between huts; having to rely on a gas generator to power the dental clinic. At one point, ominous clouds and thunder threatened to cut the dayshort. Emotionally, the team was overcome by the extreme poverty we were witnessing, and many of us had to take a moment to pause, to collect ourselves and continue on.

We met Alex, a 34 year-old man with a bullet still lodged in his head from the civil war. He requires anti-convulsive drugs daily. We met Mercedes, a 23 year-old woman with a rare allergy to the sun. Any area of her skin exposed to the sun becomes swollen, dry, painful and split. Her face and hands have the scars from suffering this condition her entire life.

There was also Dorotea, a 46 year-old woman whose right leg never developed properly, and is significantly shortened and misshapen. When Dorotea was 14, she fell and broke her good leg; after surgery to repair it, she developed gangrene and had to have it amputated below the knee. Today we were able to treat her for parasites and an infection, and also to make her a little more comfortable in an unexpected way. The tops of her plastic crutches were extremely hard and hurt her under her arms. We were able to modify her crutches with carefully wrapped layers of bandages and gauze to provide padding. She was very happy.

But perhaps the patient we were most affected by was Maria, a 52 year-old woman who came to see the dentist. After having a tooth extracted, Maria became faint, dizzy and was shaking. At first doctors thought this was due to an untreated blood pressure problem and heat exhaustion. Upon further investigation we discovered that moments before having her tooth extracted, Maria had learned that her 10 year-old grandson had been shot in a drive-by gang shooting, and was currently at the hospital in surgery.

Today’s clinic in Somalia was the final day of the FTC Canada 2009 El Salvador project. The medical and dental teams saw a staggering 889 people today. In four trips to Central America, over a period of two years, FTC Canada has provided care for over 12, 600 people.

After a long, tiring, often emotional but always rewarding week, these numbers remind us why such trips to countries in need are so very important. And so very much appreciated.

[About the El Salvador Blog: Julie Puckrin was a member of the team to El Salvador and contributed the photos and blog entries throughout the week.]

Friday April 24, 2009 – Clinic Day 4

2009-04-24T20:53:00.001-07:00

Today the team traveled to Remar, an orphanage which is home to 90 children, aged 18 months to 16 years old. While some of these children are orphans, many still have living parents or family members, and are living in the orphanage because they have been removed from abusive homes.

The orphanage is truly an amazing place. The intent was to create an environment that feels like a home rather than an institution. The nursery, boys’ and girls’ dormitories are all situated like cozy bedrooms; each child’s bed is crowded with stuffed animals and toys. All 90 children eat together in a large family dining room, the larger children helping the smaller ones.

The majority of the food they eat has been donated, and is prepared by the 6 adult care-givers who live with them. The children share chores like sweeping and laundry, and attend a school built especially for them.

We were greeted by a swarm of affectionate children upon our arrival, and the most common and satisfying medicine dispensed by far was hugs, cuddles and smiles.

Today’s clinic was open to all members of the community. Sergio, a 5 year-old boy in a wheelchair, came to see the doctor with his mother. When Sergio was 5 months old, he contracted meningitis, and began having seizures. He eventually had a stroke, leaving the entire left side of his body paralyzed. His mother, a single mom who lives with Sergio’s grandmother and makes her living selling tea from their home, was able to find a wheelchair, but it is old and broken. She cannot afford Sergio’s medication. We were able to help her today with free medicine.

Later we met Joana, a 49 year-old single mother of six children. Her 72 year-old mother was recently hit by car, leaving her bedridden and in need of constant care. Joana cares for her mother and her children in a two-room house, but has lately begun to experience dizziness, fainting and angina pain. The team was very concerned with her symptoms, and FTC Canada is arranging for her to receive an ECG in San Salvador to determine whether she requires a pacemaker. This would be an expensive undertaking for the family.

Finally, 16 year-old Ernesto came to the clinic hoping to have his teeth checked by a dentist. Upon examination, Dr. Jack realized that Ernesto is literally tongue-tied; his tongue is webbed to the bottom of his mouth. This greatly hindered his ability to speak; in Canada, such a condition would be addressed at birth and never affect the child. Ernesto has had to suffer with this his entire life. In less than ten minutes, Dr. Jack was able to perform a simple procedure to correct this hinderance and completely change young Ernesto’s life. He was extremely happy to receive this unexpected but greatly appreciated gift.

Thursday April 23, 2009

2009-04-23T21:43:00.000-07:00

The main objective of the El Salvador 2009 project is to bring medical and dental care to communities in need. There are many components necessary to support the provision of that care.

Every morning the team hauls 18 large bins of medications to the day’s site. Over the course of 5 clinic days, this traveling pharmacy will dispense 42,000 vitamins; chewable for children and tablets for adults, and almost as much medication for parasites. Doctors, nurses and paramedics have access to 67 different medications to treat their patients. The list of medications dispensed in the pharmacy has been carefully chosen to reflect the needs in the area, but is also based on the availability of these medications in the host country. It is important that any medication prescribed during these clinics, particularly ones to meet long-term needs such as blood pressure medication, can be procured locally after the team has left.

Part of providing care is providing nourishment for the body and mind. Each clinic day, a distribution centre dispenses food packages containing enough lentils and Vitameal, a highly nutritious and fortified food product, to feed an entire family. Every family that sees the medical or dental team receives a food package. Families are also given such necessities as shoes, clothing and undergarments. Small things that provide a huge amount of joy are children’s toys, especially stuffed animals and soccer balls. Many of the items we are able to dispense have been donated directly to FTC Canada to be distributed to communities in need.

Every team member has donated their time to be here. Some have brought their own equipment along with them as well. Every team member covers the cost of their own travel and accommodation. Even so, the team requires additional, often costly support materials. Occasionaly, a clinic must be built from scratch, requiring crews to haul in items like tarps, tables, chairs and generators. Every site must have hundreds of bottles of clean, drinkable water and portable washrooms to keep the team functional.

Finally, and perhaps most importantly, there is the local support team. The Medical-Dental team from Canada is comprised of 24 people. There are an additional 26 FTC Central American employees and volunteers who are vital in our efforts to bring care to areas in need. We could not do this work without the help of local doctors, dentists, interpreters, security, administration and registration staff.

Wednesday, April 22, 2009 – Day 3 Clinic

2009-04-23T06:34:00.000-07:00

Unlike the isolated, impoverished rural villages of our first two clinics, Anayito is a crime-ridden, urban area. Many of the people living here were displaced by such traumatic events as civil war, earthquakes, volcanoes and natural disasters. With nowhere else to go, a community of 380 families was created, with another 90 families living nearby as squatters. They are extremely poor. Most people in Amayito make their living as garbage collectors.

Our trip during the day was safe as we had our security escort but by night this area is considered dangerous. Violent crimes – shootings and robberies – are a nightly occurrence. Gangs are prevalent, many recruiting boys as young as 10 years old.

In the centre of it all is Virginia. Now 48 years old, Virginia was adopted as a baby by a loving middle class couple. She experienced an extremely caring upbringing. When Virginia learned at age 14 that she had been adopted, she realized how lucky she was to have grown up in such a loving, safe environment, and that many children were not so fortunate. It became her goal in life to give to others the gifts that she had been given.

Virginia has run the community center in Anayito for 12 years. She works to provide families in the area with a safe, loving environment where they can receive food and education. She feeds 150 children lunch, three times a week and strives to empower them with knowledge. Her efforts to create a compassionate oasis in the midst of such a violent area are immediately felt upon entering the center, where our medical-dental team set up today’s clinic.

While Virgina’s community center provides respite during the day, families often fear for their safety in their homes at night. Our doctors met many patients suffering from a high level of anxiety.

As Dr. Tony aptly said, there is no medicine we can give that will take that anxiety away. What the team could do though was share a moment of empathy, provide comfort, a hug, and a smile, to let the people of this community know that they are not alone.

Tuesday, April 21, 2009 – Day 2 Clinic

2009-04-21T21:23:00.000-07:00

This morning the team made the two-hour journey to San Juan Buena Vista. One of the first patients we saw was an 83 year-old woman who had lived there her entire life; she remarked that this was the first time doctors had ever come to the community. She was very grateful.

San Juan Buena Vista is an interesting case. The village is fortunate enough to be relatively close to a new medical clinic, recently built through donated funds. Unfortunately, there was not enough money to staff the clinic, and so it is not operational.

An invaluable component of FTC Canada’s projects is the dental clinic. An average family of 10 in rural El Salvador collectively earns about $80 USD per month. A visit to the dentist for one person for a simple cleaning costs around $40. Understandably, many of the patients we saw today had never been to a dentist.

With so little access to dental care, extractions are a large part of what our team does. Dr. Mark commented that he performed around 40 extractions today, as compared to his practice in Canada, where he performs perhaps one extraction per week. Some patients had to have as many as 8 teeth pulled in one sitting.

But what is so impressive about what FTC Canada’s dental teams are able to accomplish on these projects is not how many teeth they remove, but how many they are able to restore! One 19 year-old man visited us very upset. He had broken off the lower third of one of his teeth, and naturally assumed it would have to be pulled. He was very anxious about losing a tooth. Dr. Jack was able to not only save the tooth, but also to cosmetically alter it to look as though it had never been broken, allowing the young man to keep his beautiful smile. He was simply ecstatic.

Our dental team arrives at every site an hour before the rest of the group, in order to set up the large amount of equipment necessary to provide such care. Even with extra time taken to accomodate such extensive build-up and tear-down of equipment, there is often more demand than our dental team can meet. Patients are often reluctantly turned away as it begins to get dark, and it becomes unsafe for us to continue. Today, our dental team was able to see every single patient.

Our medical team were also able to see every single patient. Some particularly interesting cases included Rosa, a four year-old girl with such a bad heart murmur, she is only the size of a two year-old. FTC Canada was pleased to be able to arrange for her to travel to San Salvador to receive an echocardiogram, which will determine what further treatment she requires.

We also saw Rosalina, an 11 year-old girl who has had a large piece of pencil lead lodged in her forehead for 3 years. It is innocuous, but she loves soccer, and the lead makes it hurts to hit the ball with her head. Dr. Elizabeth once again scrubbed up and removed the lead, helping Rosalina to continue her soccer career pain-free.

Perhaps the case that most affected the team today though was that of Marcos and Roberto. Marcos is an 87 year-old woman who walked several hours to come to the clinic today. She hoped a doctor would be able to come to her home to see her son, Roberto, who has cerebral palsy and was unable to make such a journey. Dr. Paul happily obliged with a house call.

Roberto is not Marcos birth son. When he was only two days old, his birth mother, seeing his disability, did not want him. With no family of her own, Marcos happily took him in. Roberto is now 43 years old and although she is so poor and can often only afford to feed him tortillas and salt, it is a testament to Marcos’ loving care that Roberto has thrived. Dr. Paul treated both Marcos and Roberto for parasites, fevers and colds.

Monday, April 20, 2009 – Day 1 Clinic

2009-04-21T21:06:00.000-07:00

At 7:30am this morning, the team wound their way up a mountain via a steep, narrow dirt road towards El Cedro, a small community clinging to the side of a cliff. El Cedro is home to approximately 800 families, each of which typically consists of 10 to 12 people. One of the first patients the medical staff met was a young woman who had 15 children.

Most families in the area are farmers, the primary crop being coffee. The average family of 10 people collectively earn around $80 USD per month.

The nearest medical services to El Cedro are more than two hours away by bus, so there was understandably great excitement for FTC Canada’s visit. Several of the children were dressed in their finest to see the medical staff, and many were receiving their first ever check-up.

The 2009 El Salvador project is fortunate to have 12 medical personnel; doctors, nurses and paramedics. While almost every patient expressed much gratitude for the clinic, some patients were more profoundly affected by the team’s visit.

13 year-old Erica has slowly been losing her hearing for over a year. It has become so debilitating that she has failed her school year. Dr. Tony examined her ears but was unable to see any sign of damage, leading him to suspect neurological damage. The only way to diagnose this would be for Erica to travel to San Salvador and undergo expensive testing. FTC Canada was very pleased to be able to arrange to pay for her to receive that testing.

Juan Antonio suffered from a benign lipoma, essentially a large collection of fat on his ribcage about the size of a tangerine. He was unable to afford to have the growth removed. Dr. Elizabeth and the team quickly scrubbed up to perform minor surgery and successfully removed the growth, much to Juan Antonio’s relief.

35 year-old Evelio was walking home at night when thieves attempted to rob him. He fought back but during the fight he was unfortunately shot in the foot. He was lucky that the bullet passed through cleanly, but a month later, his wound still hadn’t healed. Paramedic Christine was able to treat him with much-needed antibiotics and a fresh dressing.

With over 600 patients seen this day, the FTC Canada 2009 El Salvador Project is off to a great start. All the team’s members are eager to continue in this spirit and see even more patients tomorrow.

Sunday April 19, 2009

2009-04-19T20:00:00.000-07:00

Today was the first real opportunity for new and experienced team members to get acquainted and begin planning for the first of five clinics that will start bright and early at 7:30 tomorrow morning.

Each day, the FTC Canada medical-dental team will bus to a different village and set up a project site. Project sites may be set up in a local school or even an open field. Facilities with roofs and electricity may be available, or the team may have to set up under tarps and bring in gas-powered generators to run the dental equipment.

Locations are selected during a scouting trip months in advance and are based on a variety of criteria, not the least of which is a communities need. Each clinic has several components, all working in tandem: patient registration, medical care, dental care, a pharmacy, and a distribution centre which dispenses food and supplies such as clothing, shoes, toys and undergarments.

The needs at each clinic are different, and every country and even every individual site within a country provides unique challenges and learning opportunities for the teams. This requires a lot of flexibility, and often creativity. One of the great strengths of the teams is their ability to constantly evolve to meet the needs of their patients, and the willingness to always seek solutions and opportunities to hone their process to deliver better, more efficient care.

The entire 2009 El Salvador Medical-Dental Team is eager to officially kick off the project’s first clinic, early tomorrow morning!

Saturday April 18, 2009

2009-04-18T21:16:00.000-07:00

Months of preparation culminated in a sleepy but excited 6:30am gathering at Toronto’s Pearson International Airport this morning. All 24 members of FTC Canada's 2009 El Salvador Medical-Dental Mission assembled, bags loaded with supplies and donations, eager to embark on a week-long journey to bring primary medical and dental care to needy families in five rural El Salvador villages.

FTC Canada President, Ken Dick and Medical Team Advisor Dr. Tony Brown and the FTC crew seamlessly orchestrated the day’s travel; we arrived safely in the country’s capital, San Salvador, to an enthusiastic welcome. There is a feeling of great excitement for this particular trip. This is the first time an FTC medical-dental team has come to El Salvador in over 10 years. Hopes for the care we can provide here are high.

The team arrived at our hotel by 2:00 pm local time, and quickly began the tedious task of pre-packing thousands of children’s chewable vitamins into individually bagged doses. In addition to any prescribed medications they may require, each patient visiting the clinic will receive 30 days worth of vitamins. All of the supplies must be prepped before heading out into the villages.

There are both new and familiar faces on this year’s team. Sunday will provide an opportunity for all the team members to meet each other and receive orientation as we prepare for the week of clinics ahead.

EL SALVADOR - APRIL 2009

2009-03-13T08:28:00.000-07:00

It is just six months since we returned from a successful project in Nicaragua!

Even before we completed that amazing mission, plans were being laid for our journey to El Salvador. Although you may not be part of the team traveling to this Central American country of approximately seven million people, we want you to be part of the experience through this blog.

We will be reporting from El Salvador after our arrival on April 18, 2009. We hope to provide you with daily blog updates. But, let me share with you some of our plans.

Our twenty-four member Canadian team will be comprised of four doctors and two dentists, assisted by several paramedics, nurses, dental assistants and other support staff. Joining us from El Salvador will be another fifteen people, including two local doctors and three local dentists. Add to this several translators, and you have a large, dedicated team ready to bring medical and dental treatment to children and families in El Salvador.

Working out of our central location in the city of San Salvador, we will travel to five communities in great need. Our goal will be to treat over 3,000 children and adults. What do they need? They need primary medical and dental care, food and other supplies, and they need to know that somebody cares about them.

While we are in each neighbourhood we will distribute medicine, food and clothing, and a SMILE, and lots of HUGS! A special program will be provided for the children, including games, songs and crafts.

Excitement is increasing within the team as we prepare for the mission. We also know that the sites are preparing for our visit. Blog reports will be coming from the following locations:

El Cedro
San Juan Buena Vista
Anayito
Remar
Somalia

Going to El Salvador and accomplishing amazing things for the children and families in that country would not be possible with out two major things:
1. the dedication and commitment of our team;
2. the support of our friends who provide funds and supplies.

Thank you and watch for further updates.

Ken Dick,
President – FTC Canada

Reflections on 2008

2009-01-02T07:15:00.000-08:00

It’s hard to believe that over a month has passed since our team returned to Canada from Nicaragua. We are thankful for no sickness and total safety for our team during the eight days in this very needy country. We did have one frightening incident when our country director was kidnapped at gunpoint when our rental truck was stolen. He was able to escape by leaping from the back of the truck when it slowed for a curve in the road.

Reflecting on this mission, how blessed we are to be able to reach out with primary medical and dental care to over 3,000 children and families. Each clinic day we enjoyed the smiles on the faces of children when they received toys; the pleased and thankful expressions from mothers and fathers as we handed them parcels of food and clothing and shoes. The smiles and the word “gracias” will remain with all of us for a long time.

It is impossible for me to express my thanks in a meaningful way to our team. How do you say “thanks” to people who have given eight days of their lives to help others? The sacrifice made by our doctors, dentists, nurses, paramedics, school teachers, office workers and more.

I’m thankful for our Guatemalan staff that traveled many hours to be with us. It was not without its challenges – an overturned truck and many, many police checkpoints which delayed them several hours.

Our arrival at Toronto airport was a memorable end to the project. When I heard my name called over the PA system in the baggage area, I thought, “they probably lost my luggage”. That was not the problem – they had lost all our luggage – 32 pieces! Can you picture 28 of us standing around the luggage carousel wondering why we are the only ones from our flight still “standing around the carousel”? Well, we were told the luggage was still in San Salvador. It has not been transferred to our connecting flight. The good news – everyone received their bags four days later.

We never expect everything to go perfectly. You can become very frustrated about things that go wrong during the “heat of battle”, but on reflection, once you have time to relax and think about what was accomplished, you still feel a strong sense of having done a good thing. And we did!

Within days of our return we began to plan our next trip. Watch our site to be kept up to date on our mission to El Salvador in April 2009.

Thank you to all who have supported us in this project. We could not impact so many lives without your involvement. What we are doing is without a doubt “a team effort”.

Ken Dick
President

Day 5 Clinic

2008-11-02T05:32:00.000-08:00

Yesterday was our last day to set up the clinic and this morning we pack and get ready for the plane ride home.

We anticipated that the number of people attending the clinic yesterday might be a little lower, but we were very surprised when we arrived and there were three people waiting. The smallest crowd we have seen waiting this week was about 50 and the biggest was around 300. The heat today, even early in the morning, was also the most oppressive we have experienced. Although the temperature was the same as other days, there was extreme humidity and absolutely no breeze; many of the clinic rooms felt like saunas.

The day started a little earlier for the dental team as we changed our logistics a little to allow them to begin treatments as soon as the set-up was complete. By that point the line had grown to 10 people and several needed dental work. We were up and running.

It would seem that slow and steady really does win the race. The line-up of 10 always stayed at 10 no matter how many we saw. By noon we had seen close to 300 patients.

Each community presented some uniqueness in terms of ailments. This area seemed to have the most diabetes and hypertension. Today we did an IV and stitches and attempted to educate people on the ill effects of constantly drinking pop instead of clean water. A steady diet of pop not only contributes to health issues like diabetes and hypertension, it is also the main reason their teeth experience so much decay.

As the day went on in the stifling heat, a small but consistent line persisted and by the end of the day we had seen 655 patients, 554 through medical and 101 through dental. This week we were fortunate to serve 3,114 patients. On our last night the Canadian contingent celebrated this success over dinner with everybody from the Guatemalan team and the host Nicaraguan team and the interpreters.

We extend a special thank you to all of our family, friends and FTC donors who have supported us. We will continue to post stories and pictures to this blog in the coming weeks and also provide updates on the next trip so please keep checking in.

The Children's Program Team:

Distribution Team

Dental Team

Medical Team

Pharmacy Team

Day 4 Clinic

2008-10-31T06:23:00.000-07:00

Distribution of food and supplies is a big part of the work that we do here. After passing through the medical and/or dental clinic, families are referred to our distribution station for food, clothing and shoes, and even toys.

It is hard to describe the difference in lifestyle here. Even the small towns feel densely populated and crowded, and dirty and simply lacking most everything.

Janice in distribution told us today that the most sought after item in distribution was not the brand new Crocs or the sandals that had been donated, it wasn’t even the toys or soccer balls for the kids, and it wasn’t even the food, although that was a close second. It was the large boxes the Crocs shoes came in! One lady vehemently asked for a box so she could have a mattress for her and her children. It would create a barrier between them and the dirt floor they normally slept on.

Pictured below is a family receiving some food, new shoes and hand made toys from Canada.

The medical team and pharmacy were moving swiftly and effectively again today seeing 643 people, and the dental team saw an incredible 101 patients today. The team worked right until dark again. Unfortunately, today was a day that for all of our efforts, there were still at least a couple of hundred people we were not able to see.

Pictured below is Michelle from the dental clinic before the day began. Below that is a shot of the whole medical team seeing patients.

One of the tougher cases that we heard today was about a 9 year old boy with Cerebral Palsy. Christine was able to diagnose him and speak with his mother about his condition. He was confined to his wheel chair because his mother did not know that he should be encouraged to exercise. Mentally he was obviously sharp and of age, but a lack of knowledge about the disease had unfortunately ensured the family had not worked with him to make his life more normal.

In Canada someone with CP would receive physiotherapy and speech therapy among other things and that would greatly increase quality of life. That sort of treatment is not readily available here and is certainly not easily attained financially.

Susan works in the pharmacy, but by profession is a speech therapist. Today there was a unique case where a child was slow developmentally and had a very limited vocabulary. The mother and child were walked over to pharmacy and introduced to Susan. Susan was able to show the mother, through an interpreter, how this little 3 year-old could be helped to move beyond a vocabulary of just three words.

Tomorrow is a day off before our last day of clinics on Saturday, and then we return home to Canada on Sunday.

Day 3 Clinic

2008-10-29T18:11:00.000-07:00

The mood today was a little more frenzied. The need seemed palpable in the air and there seemed to be more desperation to get help.

Today our medical team was able to see over 500 patients (final count tomorrow). And to be clear that means our pharmacy team also saw close to the same number as the doctors, nurses and paramedics. We do have the occasional patient who may have something like a common cold, and therefore no medication is prescribed, but as a general rule we need to give anti-parasites, vitamins and then something that treats a more acute condition.

Our dental team was able to see 119 people. Very few, if any, had to be turned away, so it was a great success. The dental team worked until dark, something we try to avoid, but head lamps and flashlights kept the work going and we felt the satisfaction of seeing everyone we possibly could. Today we fired up the gas powered generator because there was not enough electrical supply to run all of the machines. Once that problem was solved, we were on track to see a record number of dental patients. We have four dentists working constantly.

More people, more children, and the kids program was vivacious again. A great story from the kids program came in from yesterday. Leah Katerberg, who works for FTC Canada, has been working in the kids program with Anne Stewart a volunteer and retired teacher from Oakville.

Yesterday they had children doing crafts, playing games, singing songs, and receiving face painting. In keeping with the trend of not being able to see everyone for dental medical care, as the end of the day neared it seemed that Leah was not going to be able to finish painting all the children’s faces. A little girl of about 7 or 8 had been helping Leah all day by holding the face crayons. She had not even had her turn yet. It occurred to Leah to teach her how to put a butterfly on a face so she could get more faces painted. She was timid, but Leah kindly insisted. Humorously, it seemed the training had already been done; having observed for a couple of hours, she simply took another crayon and began to paint faces as well!

Another integral part of the missions is our interpreters, many of whom are volunteers themselves from Nicaragua or a neighbouring country. Below, pictured with Anne and sharing a quiet moment, is Diana the interpreter for the children's program, . It has already been such a pleasure to team up with so many willing and skilled volunteers form Canada, Nicaragua and Guatemala.

Day 2 Clinic

2008-10-28T17:24:00.000-07:00

Day 2 saw bigger crowds and unfortunately, we had to turn away many. Nevertheless, we were able to see 429 patients through the medical clinic and 102 through the dental clinic.

The work being done is really amazing. In the medical clinic everything from normal procedures (for us in Canada) like checking on the health of a newborn baby were being done, to more serious treatments of skin issues, and treatment of parasites, a common ailment down here.

Seeing Dr. Jack and his team work with the slightly to very nervous children is wonderful. The dentists are helping so many, but they are showing wonderful care and concern all the while.

The children’s program was terrific today! With three stations including crafts, games and face painting, it was a great treat for the kids and certainly a lot of fun. The children are able to take part in the program before and after medical treatment throughout the day.

Moreover, many families received food, we also gave toys, soccer balls and shoes to those in need.

Tomorrow we are going further out from Managua, so the drive will be a long one. More on that tomorrow.

Day 1 Clinic

2008-10-27T17:30:00.000-07:00

Today we were in Villanueva at a little complex called Eden, a suburb of Managua. The lady who labours here is named Theresa. She runs a school the midst of unimaginable poverty. As part of her work she runs a feeding program three times a week which Feed the Children Nicaragua helps support.

Today we were able to see everybody who came. This is a first for our medical-dental trips so far. We arrived around 8:45am and were able to get started relatively quickly after set-up.

The three dentists were extremely busy, closing shop just after dark (our goal is to stop by dark) after seeing over 70 patients. They performed extractions and restorative work.

Our three doctors, three nurses and three paramedics were able to see over 355 patients who were then sent to pharmacy for the medicines and vitamins that were prescribed.

The children's program brings energy and distraction for the kids as we endeavour to process the crowds through the medical-dental stations. There is also a distribution station where food, clothing, and some age appropriate toys are distributed.

Today, a very young lady came to the clinic afraid that she was pregnant; a product of robbery and rape. Thankfully she was tested and was not pregnant. We were able to pray with her, encourage her and give her some preventative medicines as well.

Personal note. We are fortunate to have the opportunity to serve our humanity in this way. We do not want to bring anything to them they do not want (Western culture etc.) but we do want to bring health and love. [Note posted by Cliff Cline, FTC Canada's Director, Canadian Operations]

Here are some pictures from our day in Eden:

Before and After:

Helping through an interpreter:

Helping and remembering:

Pharmacy:

Medical-Dental Team Nicaragua 2008

2008-10-25T16:21:00.000-07:00

The team has arrived safe and sound and we are currently settling into our hotel. It has been a long day of travel. Here are a few photos I took when we landed. We are a big team - 21 people, 39 bags, plus carry-ons and a massive amount of anticipation for what is to come.

Our Central Americal Director, Efrain, with some of his team.

A few members of the team on the way to hotel .

Dr.Tony and Efrain figuring something out.

And more to come. Tomorrow is orientation and planning and Monday is the first day of clinics.

Nicaragua Team departs October 25

2008-06-19T06:46:00.000-07:00

It seems that we just returned from Guatemala, and already we are beginning to plan the schedule for our next project in Nicaragua.

Dr. Tony and I will be visiting Nicaragua in July to identify the five communities that will be visited by our team in late October. This will be done in cooperation with the Feed The Children Central America director, Efrain.

The Nicaragua team is in place. About one half of the 22 people involved are new. For some, it will be their third time on the team. Our team will include 3 doctors, a dentist, dental assistant, paramedics, 2 pharmacist and several nurses, complimented by several support staff. We will be joined by a dentist from El Salvador and other local support staff and translators.

While the clinics are going on each day, we will provide an exciting program for the children.

Along with medicines and vitamins, we will be distributing food and clothing.

All this takes money, so if you want to help support this project, please go to our web site and make a donation. Contact us if you have any questions.

Keep your eye on this blog, as we will be reporting activities before and after the trip.

Ken Dick, FTC President.

2008-06-06T12:17:00.000-07:00

Special Report from Front Lines April 2008

ONA Members Help Needy in Guatemala

ONA members have once again proven that when it comes to helping those in need, their charitable work extends well beyond their own communities.

Melanie Fallis, a clinical research coordinator at St. Michael’s Hospital in Toronto, and Anna Jewell and Charlene Dart, who work in the surgical services department at Lakeridge Health Corporation in Port Perry, were part of a contingent of Canadian doctors, dentists, nurses, pharmacists and paramedics who travelled to Guatemala in Central America for five days in late February 2008 to provide medical/ dental clinics to children and families – who average eight to 10 members – in desperate need of primary health care, and to distribute food, clothing and toys.

Feed the Children Canada
The trip was organized by Feed the Children (FTC) Canada, which, in partnership with Canadians, responds to the needs of children and their families in Canada and around the world by providing food, medicine, education and other essentials.

"We take our medical and dental teams to lesser developed countries because, in most cases, in the poor communities that we visit, the children and adults we treat have never seen a dentist or doctor," said FTC Canada President Ken Dick. "These services are unavailable due to the distance to a clinic and/ or the lack of funds to pay a doctor or dentist and/or to purchase medicines."

In conjunction with a local Guatemalan team of doctors, dentists, administrators and interpreters, and accompanied by members of the Guatemalan police to ensure their safety, the team treated more than 3,500 medical patients and 450 dental patients in five regions in the country.

Role of Our Members
"While in Guatemala, we worked as a team, assessing patients and delivering basic health care," said Dart, who along with Fallis and Jewell learned of the medical trip through Fallis’ brother-in-law Dr. Tony Brown, who is the medical advisor for FTC Canada. "We took blood pressures, blood sugars, listened to chests, checked ears, noses and throats, and listened to people via our translators."

"Vitamins and medications for parasites were given to everyone," pointed out Jewell, noting that a pharmacy was set up at each site.

"Poor living conditions, lack of clean water, substandard diet and a difficult life of hard labour all contributed to the medical issues we saw," which included dysentery, lice, parasites, scabies, respiratory ailments, gastritis, hypertension, diabetes, advanced tooth decay, colds, fevers, asthma, viral infections and injuries, said Fallis. She is hopeful "the local team will continue what we have started."

Giving Back
For the three nurses, who gave up precious vacation time to go – although they don’t look at it that way – it was a chance to give back to those less fortunate.

"I was looking for a new and different type of nursing experience that would contribute to the greater good and challenge me at the same time," said Fallis. "Guatemala was a compelling opportunity to help and learn."

"This was the perfect opportunity to see what most tourists wouldn’t be able to experience," added Jewell, who traveled on a FTC Canada medical trip to Honduras last year.

For Dart, Fallis and Jewell, the biggest reward was the genuine appreciation they felt from the local residents they came to help.

"Through education, encouragement, friendship and hope, I think we made a real difference in the lives of the people we met," stated Fallis.

"The Guatemalans were so thankful that we came to help them," added Dart. "The sincere ‘gracias, señora’ is what will take me back on another mission."

And she’s not the only one. Jewell said that she is hoping "for the privilege of participating in a medical/dental mission next year to El Salvador," while Fallis added that she would "volunteer again without hesitation."

The trip also helped the nurses appreciate what they have back home.

"I was very thankful to return home safely to a country that has a health care system like it has," remarked Jewell.

What ONA Members Can Learn
Fallis said if there’s one thing she wants other ONA members to take away from this story, it’s that these medical trips are an opportunity to invest your time and skills outside your current job.

"They serve as a reminder that the Learning never stops," she said. "There’s always a way to make a difference in the lives of others who need our help."

Reprinted with permission of the Ontario Nurses' Association

2008-06-06T11:46:00.000-07:00

By Jennifer D. Foster

For five days in February 2008, Dr. Jack Cottrell and his Feed the Children Canada comrades gave nearly 500 children and adults something to smile about.

On a temperate afternoon in late February, 6,500 feet up in the mountains of the Saxsuy community of Guatemala City, Dr. Jack Cottrell bent over the febrile, dehydrated body of tiny three-year-old Ingrid. Travelling five miles on foot with her grandmother, Ingrid, who had never seen a dentist, was expressionless as the bright operatory light revealed 20 primary teeth completely decimated by dental caries and abscesses. After Dr. Cottrell removed two of her teeth, she was rehydrated, given antibiotics and taken to a local hospital to complete her treatment.

“I always wanted to give back — to help people,” says 58-year-old Jack Cottrell, who has lived and worked in Port Perry, Ont., for the past 33 years. He is co-partner of a thriving full-service clinic, which boasts eight dentists and 10 hygienists. An ODA member (and president for 1997-98) and a CDA member (and president for 2005-06), Dr. Cottrell’s impressive list of credentials includes being chair of the North American Regional Organization of Dentistry, a fellow of the International College of Dentists and the Pierre Fauchard Academy and recipient of many honours and awards.

In Guatemala City, the boyishly handsome dentist’s dream to help the less fortunate became reality, as he, his wife Michelle, a dental assistant and the co-ordinator of the preventive dental program in his practice, along with the entire team from Feed the Children (FTC) Canada provided primary health and dental care for people in desperate need for one week in February.

Dr. Cottrell first became involved with FTC Canada via FTC Canada’s medical advisor, Dr. Tony Brown. Early in 2006 Dr. Brown, a family physician and anesthetist, returned from a dental mission to Honduras. Saddened that the three American dentists and three assistants could only perform extractions (they had no compressor or power source), he approached Dr. Cottrell upon his return. “Jack is an extremely skilled dentist with superb technical skills and a fabulous bedside manner. And he’s probably the most energetic individual I’ve worked with, so that’s why I asked him to help out,” recalls Dr. Brown. Dr. Cottrell rose to the challenge of providing free, mobile, first-class oral-health care abroad, envisioning clinics where teeth are repaired and preventive dentistry is de rigueur. In the summer of 2007, Dr. Brown introduced Dr. Cottrell to FTC Canada president Ken Dick, and the rest is dental history.

In just five days in five different Guatemalan suburbs, Dr. Cottrell’s dental team — his wife Michelle (who monitored sterilization protocols and provided equipment maintenance), a local woman who’d assisted on previous FTC Canada missions, a Spanish translator, a handful of Guatemalan dentists and a dentist from FTC El Salvador — treated nearly 500 children and adults. Dr. Cottrell and Michelle didn’t stop at all — even for lunch — during the long days. “Our feeling was, if you took 10 or 15 minutes, that was one less person we’d be able to see in the day,” he says. That sense of urgency was heightened daily by the armed police escort that shadowed the team all day long, ensuring their safety and also preventing their pharmacy from being stolen by local bandits. Despite strict departure times, the team managed to squeeze in a few extra patients each day.

Patients received treatment in school classrooms that had become makeshift dental clinics, featuring state-of-the-art sterilization equipment, three to four portable dental chairs, dental drills and all the high-volume suction and high-powered lights critical for restorative work, bonding and extractions. The level of disease and decay they witnessed was catastrophic. “Everywhere we went we saw mouths at the end stage of dental disease. There was not one person who did not have something going on in their mouth,” says Dr. Cottrell.

And he attributes much of it to their diet. Soft drinks and tortilla chips — cariogenic food staples — are available at every corner store and are much cheaper than bottled water. Sugar cane, a primary export, is another daily foodstuff, eaten raw or made into a honey-like liquid and given to children in their bottles. Unfortunately, many Guatemalans have never owned a toothbrush and have never been shown how to clean their teeth. “It’s not unlike what we had here in Canada and the U.S. 60 to 70 years ago,” says Dr. Cottrell. “People expected that they got to a certain point in their life, and they got all their teeth taken out — that was the norm.” But the natives “came to this clinic thinking they were having their teeth extracted, and some ended up getting restorative work, instead, which is really exciting,” says Dick.

Charity work is nothing new to Dr. Cottrell. From 1975 to 1981, he volunteered one or two nights per week at two different inner-city dental clinics in Toronto, treating immigrants, poor families, drug addicts and street people. He’s seen the effects of poverty firsthand on dental health and knows it’s a reality in any country, “but when we take the neediest situation here, it doesn’t hold a candle to what exists in these types of countries,” says Dr. Cottrell, a father of four. “These people die from dental infections; they die from problems that would be unheard of to die from in our culture.” Dick concurs. “I wouldn’t think there’s an adult or child who could walk into any emergency department here in Canada and not be treated. Social services are here. There’s no transportation and no infrastructure in these other countries. It’s pay before you get treated.” Why Central America? “It’s closer than Africa, so it’s less costly,” says Dick. “And we have Spanish translators and an office with staff in Guatemala City, so that helps us with preparation.”

Dr. and Mrs. Cottrell’s first dental clinic experience with FTC Canada was so successful, they’re already booked for the next 2008 mission — Nicaragua in October. “We can hardly wait to go to Nicaragua, because we have now seen just a glimpse of the needs in these countries. We have found that we can make a huge difference,” says Michelle Cottrell. And Dr. Brown is equally thrilled. “The Cottrells were very sensitive to the Guatemalans’ customs and practices. I was impressed with Dr. Cottrell’s balance of sensitivity and his desire to teach new ways of doing things.”

And teaching and collaboration, says Dr. Cottrell, are the keys to all future dental missions. “My goal is to develop a comprehensive model of care — rather than a unilateral model of just extracting teeth — and teach the professionals how they can best use these preventive programs. I want to leave a legacy behind, where people learn how to look after themselves — that’s the key.”

What’s changed for Dr. Cottrell after this trip? “The need to get bigger faster,” he says. “There’s so much need, and it’s the urgency I sense now. It broke my heart to turn people away at the end of the day.” His solution is to train enough “sub-leaders” so that they can conduct myriad dental clinics annually, even without his presence. Dr. Cottrell is also determined to introduce regular fluoride rinse programs at FTC feeding stations in all future missions.

Does Dr. Cottrell recommend other ODA members get involved? Without hesitation. “We live in a society of self-interest and self-indulgence, so it’s really an important part of our position and our responsibility to give somebody a hand. The joy you get from seeing somebody appreciative, not even from the treatment, but from the fact you took the time to befriend them, warms your heart. You’re giving them hope. And that’s what it’s all about — hope for a better tomorrow.”

Reprinted with permission of the Ontario Dental Association and Ontario Dentist, 2008.

6,500 Prescriptions In Five Days – Amazing!

2008-03-28T09:02:00.000-07:00

Since their return, the pharmacy team has been busy analyzing the Guatemala trip to determine what worked and what can be improved upon for future trips. The pharmacy, which traveled daily to the various sites packed neatly in plastic bins, played a vital role in the treatment of 4000 people in only 5 days. Doctors and dentists wrote prescriptions and sent patients to the very long “Farmacia” where three Canadian team members worked efficiently with their Guatemalan colleagues, to send people home with the medications listed below.

Acetaminophen (adult and kid's chewable) – 13,000 Tablets
Ibuprofen - 7,000 Tablets
Albendazole (parasite medicine) – 2,000 Tablets
Antibiotics (adult) – 3,000 Tablets
Antibiotics (children) – 400 Bottles
ASA Blood Thinner/Circulation – 2000 Tablets
Cough Medicine – 400 Bottles
Stomach Medicine – 8,000 Tablets & 180 Bottles of Maalox
Allergy Medication – 2,000 Tablets & 75 Bottles
Sulfa Antibiotic Eye Drops – 75 Bottles
Diabetic Medications – 3,000 Tablets
Adult Vitamins – 30,000 Doses
Children's Vitamins – 30,000 Doses

Pharmacist Chris Ritskes says, “Now that we’re home, it's a bit overwhelming to look back on the number of people that we were able to treat and to realize that we filled more than 6500 prescriptions with detailed explanations for their use. The impact that we were able to have in such a short period of time is amazing and it’s what motivates me to continue to find ways to streamline our pharmacy processes for the next trip.”

During their stay, Canadian team members learned enough Spanish words to communicate basic instructions to the patients. For the next trip, the pharmacy team will work with their Guatemalan counterparts to develop detailed Spanish instructions for the most prescribed medications.

THANK YOU PHARMACY TEAM!
Doctors, dentists, and support staff all send a big thank you to the exceptional pharmacy team who worked together so efficiently to make this trip a success for the people of Guatemala.

Dental Clinics Become an Integral Part of FTC's Teams

2008-03-14T12:08:00.000-07:00

This year FTC was thrilled to add dentists and dental assistants to their team efforts. After the first day, it was evident that most had never seen a toothbrush or a dentist and consequently, they lived with chronic tooth pain and gum infections. Below are the reflections of Dr. Jack Cottrell,from Port Perry, ON

Scores of people were already clustered and waiting in the courtyard adjacent to the primitive cinderblock schoolhouse in Saxsuy, Guatemala as we unloaded dental equipment, food, clothing, toys and pharmacy from the supply trucks.

We had been briefed by FTC staff that most of these people are plagued by combinations of parasites, worms, dysentery or lice, a result of the lack of clean water and poor living conditions. They have never had a toothbrush, let alone been seen by a dentist. Oral hygiene is non-existent. Their woefully inadequate diets are many times filled with chips and cola. It is not uncommon for the children to be put to bed, even up the age of five, with a baby bottle laden with a white drink that they call "honey", which is a sweet slurry produced when sugar cane is boiled, reduced and cooled.

As the newest members to this seasoned FTC medical team, my wife, Michelle and I were excited and hopeful that our years of experience, those of Dr. Mimi, a dentist helping us from El Salvador, and our very talented translator Marta would be adequate to meet the needs of the indigenous people in this rural area of Guatemala.

Our excitement quickly turns to shock as we see patient after patient presenting with end stage oral disease – mouths ravaged with periodontal disease and riddled with dental caries.

Late in the afternoon, just before we closed the clinic a precious diminutive four year old named Ingrid, accompanied by her mother, timidly approached the door after hours of waiting in the never-ending line which had enveloped our clinic all day long.

The mother hoisted Ingrid into our chair and she spoke softly in a dialect that neither we nor our competent translator could decipher. However, her animated gestures told the story as she pointed to virtually every tooth in this young child's mouth. The bright operatory light revealed a dentition totally decimated by dental caries. Sadly, many of these rotten stumps were pristine newly erupted teeth less than one year ago. Suddenly, our elaborate dental equipment and years of experience seemed very inadequate as not even one of this child's teeth could be salvaged. Her expressionless fixed gaze did not change as we presented her with a coveted toy from our toy chest to comfort her. This behavior was reflective of a child who was febrile and dehydrated. A little girl who had cried herself to sleep night after night from the searing pain caused by rotting teeth and pus filled abscesses that punctuated her gums.

We proceeded to remove the most painful teeth, prescribe antibiotics, and to call the president of FTC Canada, Ken Dick, to the dental clinic to ask for special consideration to be given to this child so she may be sent to a local hospital to complete her treatment. Ken agreed that this little girl needed more extensive help and thankfully those arrangements are being made.

That evening, as we made our way back to the hotel, Michelle and I reflected on the need to establish a stronger preventive dental program for these people that have never been told that sugar and cola are bad for their teeth – perhaps if they received some education in this area, if we introduced a fluoride rinse program and improved the oral home care of these people, we would see a decline in dental caries and the teeth of these children could be saved.

A few days later as we boarded a plane headed back to Canada, we were comforted by the fact that during five days of dental clinics we treated more than 430 people – bringing friendship and hope to them in the process through the amazing work of FTC Canada.

Paramedics Answer The Call In Guatemala

2008-03-11T11:34:00.000-07:00

This year, we were thrilled to have three paramedics on the team. Glen Canavan and Grant Rumford were an integral part of last year’s Honduras team, and for this year’s Guatemala trip they brought along their colleague, Christine Barber.

Along with the doctors and nurses, these paramedics took blood pressures, checked blood sugars, cleaned ulcerated wounds, started IV’s, and gave of their strength to each team member in so many ways – showing each of us the determination and the courage that is required in order for them to do their critically essential jobs on a daily basis.

Paramedic Christine Barber…
“With each day, I am increasingly amazed by the resilience and stamina of these people. To search for the words to describe their lives; there are no words that can do it justice. The incredibly hard lives they live is so evident in their sun weathered, cold beaten faces. Their hands, rough and calloused, reveal the endless years of hardship and daily physical labour they must endure, just to survive; hauling firewood for heat and cooking, walking miles for fresh water only to carry it back. The care and hope that FTC is extending to these people is immeasurable, and my appreciation goes out to FTC for allowing me to be a part of this very rewarding opportunity to help others.”

Paramedic Glen Canavan…
"After this trip to Guatemala, I have come home with a sense that FTC has a good infrastructure in Central America with their local team. Local governments are also trying to improve the living conditions of the people in their municipalities. However, it is a difficult task and they cannot do it without the help of organizations and caring people. Even though many of the people in this country have small homes to live in, most of them still live in abject poverty barely making enough to feed their families which means there is no money for toothbrushes, proper cooking stoves, or nutritious foods. I am excited about the possibilities for our local team to continue with social services that would educate and encourage these people to take care of hypertension and diabetes - ongoing medical conditions that must be treated well beyond our trip. It was a privilege to serve these lovely people and I am definitely looking forward to the next trip!"

Paramedic Grant Rumford…
“After coming back to Canada, Guatemala seems like another world. Here, people worry about a dent in their car, another raise, or what to do over the weekend. In Guatemala, every hour is spent trying to plan for the next two. What will they feed their children? How they will find a small job that day, and will they have enough bus fare to get there? During this trip, we were able to diagnose several serious medical conditions that people were oblivious to. Hopefully, knowing what they are dealing with physically will help them make some crucial lifestyle changes. For example, when we diagnosed diabetes, it was critical for these patients to understand that they can no longer drink cola which was wreaking havoc with their bodies. We made a lasting difference for many and knowing that challenges me to do more to help.”

Day 5 - Results

2008-03-03T09:54:00.000-08:00

Two mornings ago we woke up to the tragic news that just a few minutes outside of Guatemala City, a bus loaded with 79 passengers failed to make a sharp turn which sent the bus careening into a ravine, killing 52 people. Each team member could not help but remember our own bus rides up the mountain's sharp curves. Marcelino, the bus driver we have had all week, drove slowly and we felt safe, but on Saturday morning we couldn’t help but thank God for giving us the safety we had prayed for before leaving the hotel parking lot, and we continue to pray for the injured and for those families that have lost loved ones.

It is hard to believe that Saturday was our last day of clinics in Guatemala – a country with very polite, humble, and appreciative people. Saturday's location was only 15 minutes from our hotel in the community of Sabana Grande. This is an urban community that is not without the same vast needs that we have seen all week, and when we arrive we are once again thankful that our Spanish team has gone on ahead.

The Spanish team from Feed The Children Guatemala has been arriving at the sites several hours before us each day, in order to have everything set up so that we can begin working immediately upon arrival. This has meant early mornings and late nights for these committed team members, and we could not have done this amazing work without their help. Central American Director, Efrain de los Rios has been a gracious host and we know that he has spent many hours organizing this medical/dental trip which ended on Saturday with incredible results.

In just five days, our team has treated more than 3500 people bringing relief to sickness and unbelievable tooth decay and gum disease.

Oscar, 14 months old: Scabies covered his body and he had bronchitis and two infected ears - antibiotics, skin medication, and cough medicine were prescribed.

Odelin, 3 yrs. old: Seems to have some kind of muscular dystrophy – she cannot walk and her mother cannot afford to find out why. FTC Canada is paying for a proper diagnosis to determine what needs to be done.

Yany, 14 months old: Throwing up for 5 days so she was dehydrated – nurses started an IV with antibiotics to kill her infection.

Josue, 6 yrs. old: Dr. Jack removed 4 front teeth that were black – antibiotics for the abscesses on his gums that were oozing with infection.

Marilin, 42 yrs. old, Josue’s mother: Dr. Jack totally restored this woman’s central front teeth that were black with cavities – she now has a beautiful smile and was so grateful.

These are just five of the thousands of people that we treated. Over the next few days, we will highlight additional stories and team members.

Sir Winston Churchill said, “Sometimes our best is simply not enough – we have to do what is required.” This week we brought life changing results to the humble people of Guatemala through a very dedicated medical/dental team who by dispensing kindness and hope, along with skill and medication, have done so much more than what was required.

Day 4 - Relief

2008-02-29T21:15:00.000-08:00

After a day of rest yesterday, our team was back to work and headed to San Guayaba, which is another community in the region of Palencia. As our bus moves through the city toward the mountains, young women sweep the streets with homemade brooms while groups of young men plant trees along the roadside and climb ladders to trim hedges that grow above 10 foot walls. All around us people are beginning their day and a refreshed team is excited about who they will meet in San Guayaba.

Once again we climbed the winding mountain roads with clouds of dust billowing behind the bus. We are surrounded by mountains as we climb to an altitude of 2500 meters where 800 people are waiting for relief from toothaches, ulcers and blood sugars that are so high they will not even register on our glucometers. Nurse Anna Jewell starts two IV’s to help with hydration while Paramedic Glen Canavan cleans an ulcerated wound that has become infected. Nurses and paramedics look into sore throats and ears and send patients to the pharmacy where they will receive medicine to take home.

Pharmacist Chris Ritskes and his team meet each evening after dinner to package more of the vitamins donated by caring Canadians to the children of Guatemala. Nurse Charlene Dart’s sister, Karen Dallas, wanted to do something to help the children of Guatemala and so she became creative with the unit on money for her grade three class at Dr. MacGillvary School in Courtrice, Ontario. Through a coin drive, this class raised $330.00 which purchased 186 bottles of children’s vitamins that have already been distributed to some very needy children.

To date, our pharmacy has distributed more than 5000 vitamins, 500 doses of Ibuprofen and/or Acetaminophen, and hundreds of antibiotics and parasite medications. The pharmacy team works non-stop and the line seems never ending. However, at the end of the day, this team knows that they have distributed much more than vitamins and antibiotics taken home in small plastic bags – they have dispensed kindness and brought relief to more than 2000 people in some of Guatemala’s poorest communities.

What A Team!!!

2008-02-28T20:37:00.001-08:00

Day 3 - Restoration

2008-02-28T15:20:00.000-08:00

After two 14 hour plus days, our team is exhausted and several are plagued with colds, headaches, and Montezuma’s revenge. Paramedic Glen Canavan started an IV on the bus, for one of the team members who was dehydrated after fighting the stomach flu for several hours.

With the IV bag hanging from the bus window, we journeyed for two hours up to the mountainous community of Primera Joya. Dirt roads curled upward incessantly it seemed, until we reached an altitude of 2200 meters to our destination. Nestled in between lush farm plots on the side of this mountain, was a small school where we would work today. In this area, farmers harvest carrots, potatoes, and a local vegetable called wiskil which is something like a squash.

We were greeted by Mayor Beto with hugs and words of thanks for helping the needy people in his community. Toothless grins and pats on the back encouraged us as we got off the bus to face yet another large crowd. 650 people had walked to the school carrying babies and elderly parents to receive desperately needed medical/dental care from our team. Doctors, nurses, and paramedics treated everything from parasites & scabies to high blood pressure & diabetes. Newborn babies who had never seen a doctor were examined and held tenderly for an extra moment or two before they were re-wrapped and put inside the cocoon wound tightly around the neck of their mother. Most of the women and children have chronic coughs due to the inside fires used for cooking and for heat, and so along with vitamins and parasite medications, our pharmacy workers dispensed a lot of cough medicine.

Today, our dentist, Dr. Jack Cottrell, did some minor mouth surgery and some orthodontic work. He and Dr. Mimi, a lovely dentist working with us this week, removed more teeth than we could count and they filled as many other teeth as possible. We soon discovered that most do not own a toothbrush and so we distributed them along with toothpaste and instructions for them to simply brush their teeth in order to save them.

By the end of this day instead of feeling more drained, our team seemed to feel restored. Colds, headaches, and the stomach flu had all been treated with medication and our spirits soared as we realized the impact we had on these brown eyed farmers and their families who daily endure cold (from the high altitude) sickness, and a level of poverty in tin shacks that is unimaginable. These people live off the land that seems unforgiving at times, but they are hard workers and so generations continue to survive. Not only did our team bring restoration today – we left restored with the faces from Primera Joya clearly etched in our minds.

Day 2 - Reflection

2008-02-26T20:38:00.000-08:00

Today’s trip took us through morning traffic, one hour and forty five minutes out of town up the mountain and then down, down, down, on dusty roads only wide enough for our bus. This clinic location was chosen to help Guatemala’s Mayan people who live in a province that merges three different cultures and many different dialects. Long woven skirts and embroidered blouses are the typical dress of the women and girls – they are a proud people, humble in their surroundings yet unusually proud of their children. Gentle children demanding nothing bravely sat in the dentist's chair without ever having seen a dentist before today. While his parents worked, one six year old boy arrived alone sent to visit the Canadian dentist without even knowing what a dentist was. What this boy received today goes beyond words. What he received from Dr. Jack and his lovely wife Michelle as they spoke softly to him and gently wiped his tears, was much more than the fixing of cavities – it was compassion at its finest.

Dr. Steve Russell…
“Today we saw survivors – people who eek out an existence in very difficult circumstances. Not just issues of food security and poverty but also the hardships of life. Women who have been raped, orphans who have been left with relatives, children who are at work despite their youth, and yet, they find a way to carry on. In a life where the world can seem pitched against them, today we were able to offer them the hope that God is with them.”

Paramedic Glen Canavan…
"So much planning is put into these trips and on this second day, I am amazed by the fact that we have already treated over 1500 people. That is almost as many as we saw during five days last year in Honduras. Every day we pray for the safety of the team and for the communities that we are visiting. It is mind boggling to think that right now there are 1500 hundred people thanking God for us. The little things that we do for them will make noticeable changes in their quality of life. People like Victor who had stopped taking his medication because it upset his stomach, while his diabetes ran out of control. An alternate medication was selected for him and his diabetes is once again in check. It doesn't get any better than this."

Dr. Tony Brown…
“I find that we are seeing so many more people than we have ever seen before. Today’s Mayan people were so beautiful and so grateful. After receiving the 50th hug and kiss from mothers and their children, I realized that I had dispensed a new kind medicine called Amistad and Esperanza (Friendship & Hope).”

Day 1 - Remarkable

2008-02-25T21:16:00.000-08:00

On this first day, a very excited team travelled 30 minutes outside of Guatemala City to the rural community of San Pedro Ayampuc. By the time we got off the bus at 9 a.m., hundreds of people were already in line. Toothless grandmothers clasped the hands of their grandchildren while young mothers bounced squirming babies on their hips – each one eager to see the Canadian doctors and dentists that waved as they got off the bus.

The team quickly found their spots and began treating patients. By 6 p.m. 789 people had been seen by medical staff, and 90 people had received dental treatment from our two dentists. Below are some stories from a very remarkable first day.

Twenty month old baby – gun shot wound and parasites
This little guy arrived in the arms of his young mother with abdominal discomfort and diarrhea. A kind paramedic examined him and his incredible story of survival unfolds. One month ago while being held by his father in a local store, a robbery took place and a bullet was fired. The bullet killed his father and miraculously passed through his small body without hitting any organs. The sad eyes of his 23rd old mother, now alone with 2 small children, pierced many hearts today. However, the gift of warm hugs, medicine, vitamins, food, and new clothing for her children went a long way to show this young woman that she is not alone – there are people who care.

Five year old boy – fillings for his teeth
He hides behind the strong arm of his father knowing that this big man will not leave his side. As I fill out his patient dental sheet, I ask his father if he has any health concerns. His father’s sad eyes speak louder than his words and I soon learn that this chubby little boy has lymphoma. His father tells me I will never know how much he has suffered and I let the tears fall as I tell him about my own granddaughter’s battle with stage 4 cancer. We weep together for just a moment – knowing that we share a bond of understanding as we trust God for continued miracles. I gently lead Kevin over to Dr. Jack – knowing that this doctor’s cheerful banter and mispronounced Spanish words will bring a smile to these two faces that deserve so much.

Dr. Jack gives Kevin a new ball and I run for another toy as Dr. Jack fires up the drill and gently begins his work. I stroke Kevin’s chubby hand knowing that today this darling child and his father have both received much more than beautiful teeth – they have received kindness and hope to face as many tomorrows as they have together.

Nine year old boy – heart trouble
He arrives at the clinic with an elderly neighbour who tells the doctor that he has heart trouble. The doctor is at once concerned and begins a thorough examination in search of heart irregularities. After finding nothing, he questions the elderly lady and she begins to explain that his father died a few months ago, and that recently his mother abandoned him, leaving in her wake a boy with a very broken heart. Things become clear and the concerned Canadian doctor speaks gently to the boy telling him he is sorry – his eyes tell this sweet child that he can only imagine how his heart must really feel. There are no words to describe this kind of pain and each team member wishes they could scoop him up and take him home. But…he is one of many hurting children and at best all that we offer is a warm smile, a hug, and some vitamins – momentary solutions that give him the courage he needs to follow his neighbour lady home in search of a cure for his broken heart.

Young woman – kidney failure
She receives dialysis three days per week, and has a donor who will give her a kidney but she cannot afford the surgery. Dr. Tony does what he can for her but he knows that time is not on her side, and that we must find a way to help this young woman get the surgery that she needs in order to live and together we will.

These are just a few of the reasons that motivate us to wake up in the morning at 5 a.m. to do it again tomorrow in the community of Saxsui, where we are anticipating the arrival of 1000 people.

Thank you for your support of this trip and of this organization that really does Feed The Children in so many more ways than one.

The Team Has Landed!

2008-02-24T20:32:00.000-08:00

We were a very energetic group of Canadian medical/dental professionals that walked off the plane yesterday in Guatemala City. Feed The Children Guatemalan staff welcomed us with hugs and two buses to transport us and all of our luggage. Twelve returning members were busily becoming reacquainted and laughing about memories from their Honduras trip, while welcoming six new team members and the exciting addition of a dental team.

The team was quickly settled into the hotel and spent the remainder of the day discussing logistics and sorting through the items that will be distributed to the visiting families at the clinics each day.

Today,(Sunday) we took a bus ride to the historical city of Antigua. Cobblestone streets still welcomed guests to this quaint city which was built in 1543.

As I stood on a rooftop overlooking the town, I could see hundreds of clay tiles on every roof – a sea of wavy terracotta baking in the hot sun. Warmly painted, connected homes lined the streets in every imaginable shade of gold, orange and rust. Ornate wrought iron decorated the windows that flourished with exotic flowers in reds and purples.

Along with us, many tourists wander through old cathedrals and abandoned convents wondering about the stories that the old stone walls would undoubtedly tell if only they could.

A fruit vendor stands beside a small cart preparing bags of papaya and pineapple which he sells to feed his family. Women hold hands with their little brown eyed daughters in typical dress making their way to the huge cathedral, while other women pass by our team carrying bundles of wood on their heads in order to cook their next meal.

Today we are tourists in this warm colorful city, but tomorrow at the first clinic in San Pedro Ayampuc, we become God’s hands and feet – doing His work with the use of stethoscopes and dental tools – a team of caring Canadians sharing God’s love with these beautiful people who really do need the hope that we have come to bestow.

Well & School Dedications Bless Two Communities

2008-02-24T19:35:00.000-08:00

On Friday February 22, 2008 Ken Dick and FTC Canada Representative, Ryan Fletcher, drove up the mountain to the region of Palencia to dedicate the new well and school. Many families attended the dedications and spoke directly to Ken – thanking him for changing their lives and for giving their children a promising future.

One mother said, “I have lived in this community for more than 40 years and 32 years ago we were promised water. This has always been our dream and today it is a reality. I have brought my daughter here today so that she can witness this dream that has come true. Every day we had to walk two kilometers to get fresh water. She tapped on her heart and gently put her arm around her daughter's shoulder and said, “I thank you from the bottom of my heart. Now, my children will not have to wait many more years for fresh water, and they will not have to walk a great distance to wash or to get a drink. You have changed our lives forever and words cannot express what is in our hearts toward you.”

At the school site, hundreds gathered to celebrate this auspicious occasion – a day that the children of Bejucalito will never forget. They now have a school and a library to call heir own. A place to be proud of – a place of learning that will give them the tools they need to succeed. The children sang songs for the visiting group and Mayor Beto and his wife were very moved as with tears in his eyes Ken said, “Denada” (you’re welcome) to all of the people who clapped and cheered. In short, it was a very emotional day for the Canadians who had travelled up the mountain to show two communities how much they really care.

School & Well Dedications Next Week

2008-02-15T16:41:00.000-08:00

The children living in Bejucalito are becoming very excited as daily they see more of their school. Just imagine the value these children, (who have watched the construction) will place on education – real walls, a library, and several blackboards provided by caring Canadians, will be the beginning of opportunities that will change their lives forever. Next week FTC’s President, Ken Dick, will travel up the mountain to officially dedicate the new school at its official opening. With the arrival of every new photo, Ken’s excitement has been visible to all of the FTC staff, who know that their leader has an incredibly big heart when it comes to changing a child’s life. It is his passion for this work that encourages each of us to press on in our efforts to help children.

In a nearby village, many will gather around the well that is also being dedicated next week – people thrilled to have potable water near their homes. Once the well is operational, the city of Palencia has promised to run the pipes directly into the community. In the western world, we don’t think about not having water in our homes. This is a huge blessing for these humble families who appreciate this gift more than we will ever know.

On February 23rd, FTC’s medical team will fly to Guatemala and with every communication we can “feel” their excitement. The dental equipment shipped from Canada has arrived, and our team in Guatemala is busy with the pre-trip groundwork. They are packaging the rice, beans, cereal and coffee that will be distributed to each family visiting the medical clinics. In addition, each child will receive a new piece of clothing and a small toy – all tangible items that will bless these Guatemalans with hope and show them that someone cares.

The School Walls Are Going Up!

2008-01-24T12:00:00.000-08:00

The children in the small mountain community of Bejucalito are very excited as they see the walls of their new school going up.

Currently, each grade is taking turns attending the small school (which is a tin shack) because there is not enough space to accommodate all of the students. Director of Feed The Children Guatemala, Efrain de los Rios, says, “When I visited the children of Bejucalito this week, I could see the excitement in their eyes as they gazed across the yard to watch the construction workers – knowing that soon they will have a new school where they can all attend at the same time. This is the project of their lives and they will never forget this gift. Thank you FTC Canada for investing into the future of these children.”

FTC knows that without education children cannot succeed. It is very exciting to be making a lasting impact in this Guatemalan community, where the gift of education will be received by many generations.

A Well & School for Communities in Guatemala

2008-01-16T11:04:00.000-08:00

In the western world, we often take for granted what children and families in developing countries simply do not have access to. Poor sanitation and contaminated water contribute to illness, infection, and even death. It is also a sad fact that many communities do not have schools, so most of the children do not receive an education. The children pictured below are forced to walk 4 kilometers over the mountains to get to a school and so most of the younger children cannot make the trip.

Each year during their medical team trip, FTC Canada embraces additional projects in direct response to the community needs in that area. Last year in Honduras, 25 latrines were constructed, and a well was installed in a community where more than 400 families enjoy fresh water today.

In Guatemala, FTC is currently installing another well that will benefit more than 1,500 people living in a rural community. A little further up the mountain, the children in the community of Bejucalito, are receiving a school of their own. The ground has been cleared and construction has begun.

A dedication ceremony is planned for both projects on Friday February 22, 2008.FTC Canada’s President Ken Dick will be in attendance.

FTC's Medical Team Is Getting Ready To Travel

2008-01-10T10:37:00.001-08:00

FTC’s medical team is excited about leaving for Guatemala on February 23, 2008. Most of the team members traveled to Honduras with FTC last February, and words cannot capture their thoughts as they prepare themselves to once again bring hope to humble families trying to exist in some of Guatemala's poorest neighbourhoods.

Last year, it was amazing to see how a firm handshake from a Canadian doctor, or the touch of a cold stethoscope on a small brown chest could actually lift the human spirit. A little compassion goes a long way in places where is none, and each day people left the mobile medical clinic with a renewed light in their eyes.

This year, we are very pleased about the addition of a dentist and a dental assistant so that we can run a dental clinic as well. We anticipate treating over 3500 patients during the five days of clinics, in areas where there is very little medical/dental care.

Medical team members have been collecting items to ship to Guatemala this month in a container that sails next week. Items like small toys, warm hats, gloves, tennis balls, underwear, blankets, children’s vitamins, and food will be distributed at the medical clinics each day. Simple acts of kindness from the team, will give these Guatemalans the opportunity to catch their breath and receive the courage they need to go on.

2007-12-06T12:18:00.001-08:00

FTC Teams

In February of 2007, FTC Canada (Feed The Children) traveled to the country of Honduras with Canadian doctors, nurses, paramedics, a pharmacist, and other support personnel, to conduct medical clinics for children and families in desperate need of health care. These traveling medical clinics and pharmacies gave much needed primary care and medication to 1752 people living in the poorest areas of San Pedro Sula, Honduras.

An Eye For Brenda

While in Honduras, FTC Canada’s medical team identified 10 year old Brenda as a child in need of more complex medical intervention through FTC’s new initiative, the Child-In-Crisis Medical Fund.

Brenda’s Story…

The line was long in the Honduran sun as 10 year old Brenda waited with her mother to see the visiting Canadian doctors. On that day, her mother’s presence and the dark glasses perched on her little nose protected her from the stares and jeers of the other children – but tomorrow it would begin again. She trembled as she stepped into the makeshift clinic, walking slowly toward the plastic chair, in front of a kind looking man with the brightest eyes she had ever seen.

Dr. Mario gently patted her arm and gave her a small gift for her hair. She was clearly embarrassed to reveal what hid behind dark glasses, but for an instant, she was more conscious of the doctor’s kindness than of her loss. Behind those glasses, one brown eye sparkled but a patch of skin was all that remained of her left eye – removed when she was six months old due to a cancer called retinoblastoma.

Her mother said that she had accepted a life with limited vision, but she could not get used to the stares and fingers pointed in her direction. It was hard to hide behind dark glasses all of the time, and her mother worried about Brenda’s future as did Dr. Mario and the rest of the visiting medical team – this little girl deserved another brown eye to match the one that still managed to sparkle behind those dark glasses.

A Little Girl’s Dream Comes True

After months of preparation to get a prosthetic eye for Brenda, Ken Dick, President of FTC Canada, went to Guatemala City to witness the procedure that would change Brenda’s world. He said, “Brenda is a very happy little girl in spite of her loss, and it is a real privilege for FTC Canada to intervene in her life to insure that she has a more secure future.”

On the big day, all Brenda could say was, “Gracias, gracias, I am so happy to get a

new eye.” Her father said, “Words cannot express the gratitude to Feed The Children that will always be in my heart for the food that my family receives every week at the feeding centre, and now for Brenda’s eye.”

FTC Canada continues to accumulate Child-In-Crisis funds to help other children like Brenda. Teams and field offices around the world, are working to identify children with critical medical needs that require immediate intervention. FTC’s next Canadian medical team will be traveling to Guatemala for one week in February 2008.

When caring people partner with FTC Canada, they are choosing to change a child’s life forever, and for that, everyone says – Gracias! For more information visit http://www.ftccanada.org/

The Medical/Dental Team for Guatemala

2007-12-06T08:14:00.000-08:00

This is the new blog that will track the activity of the FTC Canada Medical and Dental team leaving to Guatemala in February of 2008.

There will be many updates and pictures both before during and after so keep checking back to see how things are developing.