The 2010 Guatemala Health Mission can officially be deemed a "success." 41 volunteers - new and old - worked for two weeks straight to do whatever they could to better the lives of impoverished Guatemalans, in their short visit. They left relieved, inspired, and exhausted.

Do clowns make you laugh out loud or shutter with fear? Here, they may cause you to do both at the same time. Proyecto Payaso, or “the Clown Project,” uses this universal icon to educate indigenous Mayan communities about HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted infections (STIs). Through clowning, popular theatre, and Theatre of the Oppressed, Proyecto Payaso delves into taboo issues, which would otherwise remain silent.

(As described by Dr. Dennis Hartman, H4H volunteer gynecologist)

Retalhuleu. A tongue twister for Anglophones. Thus, it’s easier (and less embarrassing) to simply call it “Reu.” Here, in a province neighbouring Antigua, very little medical care is available and, until last year, there was no local hospital. This year, for the first time, Health for Humanity was able to send a small gynecological team of six volunteers to work in the new Reu hospital for a week.

IN THE BEGINNING
Serendipity. A “fortunate accident.” That’s exactly what happened to Swiss-German Nina Jorgensen. After flights were cancelled to both Madagascar and Nagaland, Nina gave up on her dream to learn French and study exotic animals. She decided, instead, to flip a coin, and ended up in Guatemala.

Everyone had already said goodbye to the folks at the Obras, packed up medical supplies, and called the mission a huge success. Then, on Friday night (one night before the flight back home), an emergency call came from the hospital.

Here’s a sneak peak at the gyne highlights that occurred over the past two weeks.

WELL-WOMEN’S CLINIC: Dr. Dennis Hartman performed what he called a “well women’s clinic,” with over 20 colposcopies in two days, to screen for cervical cancer. Thankfully, he was able to give all of the women positive (or technically, negative!) results. Unlike Canada, in Guatemala there is no cervical screening program. Currently, the Obras Hospital is intending to run a regular screening program, which will hopefully act as a model for the rest of the country.

It’s over a week into surgeries, and H4H has settled into a groove. Triage Day, as always, was filled with chaos (but presumably less this year than most). Prospective patients lined the hospital corridors for hours, as they waited their turns to visit H4H doctors. They were systematically called into assessment rooms to see if they were suitable candidates for surgery. Some were sent home because they, fortunately, were not in need of surgery.

41 Canadians and 78 Tupperware bins later, the Health for Humanity Service Society (H4H) has officially landed in Antigua, Guatemala. The other passengers on the plane sent a few glares, as they shoved their maximum-capacity carry-on allowance in the nooks and crannies of the overhead bins. The excuse, though, is H4H’s “no checked baggage” policy, due to its ridiculous amount of medical supplies sent from Canada to Guatemala. It’s H4H’s eighth medical mission to Guatemala, and this is one of the largest crews it’s ever seen.

Well, H4H is well on its way with its 8th medical mission to Antigua, Guatemala!

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·         Meet Clara at Antigua bus station (behind mercado)  0745