RONALD MCDONALD SPENDS TIME WITH PATIENTS AT HELPS INTERNATIONAL MEDICAL TEAM IN SOLOLA, GUATEMALA
Guatemala City, Guatemala, April 23, 2007
Thanks to the alliances with private sector leadership in Guatemala, HELPS International is making significant inroads in breaking the circle of poverty that limits access to health, education and economic development for rural communities. The change is taking place one person at a time… one family, one dwelling, one child. The impact may last a lifetime, may affect an entire generation…sometimes, the life changed may even be your own.
The most recent life to be touched by a HELPS experience may be Ronald McDonald's.
The story begins with the fact that Fundación Infantil Ronald McDonald de Guatemala has been working on issues benefiting youth and children since its inception. It strives to seek out opportunities to benefit youth in both urban and rural areas. A perfect example of this is FIRM´s offer to schedule a visit by Ronald McDonald to a volunteer medical team working in a remote highland community in Guatemala. Over 85 volunteers worked at the Hospital de Día on the grounds of the Universidad del Valle in Sololá, a remote indigenous community in the highlands of Guatemala. This medical team traveling from Los Angeles, led by Dr. Dan Schibler, to work from April 15-21st in treating patients in both surgical and clinical procedures. Patients were treated for cleft palates, plastic surgery for burn reconstruction, obstetrics, ophthalmology, dentistry, hernias, tumor removal and hundreds of patients seen in pediatric and general medicine.
Ronald's visit was a first. For many patients, the first time they were visited by a world famous character, the first time they received the gift of a doll, the first time they smiled during their stay in the hospital…
Comments by patients during visit Ronald McDonald
HELPS INTERNATIONAL MEDICAL TEAM, Hospital de Día, UVG, Sololá April 2007
Erwin Fabio Aju Yaxon
Age: 9
Fabio underwent surgery for a harelip and cleft palate. Fabio says he´s very happy following his operation and thanks God and Helps for helping him with his problem and is thankful for the happiness he felt because he met Ronald McDonald in person. He had always dreamt of this day and is grateful for the gift that Ronald left on his bed and may GOD BLESS FUNDACIÓN RONALD MCDONALD DE GUATEMALA and HELPS INTERNATIONAL…
LEISA VASQUEZ TUY
Age: 5
Mother´s name is JUANA TUY PAR
Age: 53
Mrs. Juana Tuy says she is grateful for the surgery performed on her child to correct the cleft palate and appreciates the doctors and Ronald McDonald for all the help given to those in need. She thanks HELPS and the Ronald McDonald Foundationfor the gift she received and her picture taken, "May God bless them always and thank you for the gift of happiness and joy for all the patients."
LUCILA MUS CHAVEZ
Age 53
Doña Lucila is also thankful for Ronald McDonald´s visit. After her surgery, she never imagined that she would feel like smiling so quickly. She felt like a child again because she had always wanted a doll when she was little. Thank you and may God bless HELPS and her Ronald McDonald doll and everyone for helping those in greatest need.
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