Medical Mission El Salvador
Mon, Mar 8 2010 07:34
| Overview
The focus of the medical mission program in the Diocese of Central New York is to be in relationship with the people of our companion diocese of El Salvador through education, medicine and compassion. This mission will provide yearly medical campaigns to designated villages. The overlying goal during these campaigns is to provide health promotion, health education and treatment of disease. Medical care involves the treatment and diagnosis of both chronic and acute care. For cases of chronic illnesses which need ongoing pharmaceutical care, medications are provided and left with the diocesan physician. Each year, approximately 1500 people are given medical care through the Mission of Miracles during the week long health campaign.
One of our earliest stories is the story of Flor. Flor is a child from the village of San Juan de Letran. This little girl, (about 10 at the time) held onto her father’s hand in a long line waiting to see the doctor during our medical mission in January 2005. She hobbled over to our pediatrician and her father asked if we had any medicine to help his daughter. Flor suffered from a form of rickets which was progressing to a point when she would be unable to walk. The family had no resources to get help, and the medicine she needed to contain the disease was not available in the country. The medical team returned home thinking there had to be a way to help her. The first step was to provide funding for her to be seen by doctors in San Salvador. She was sent for diagnostic lab tests and xrays; however, none of the surgeons in the country would perform the surgery she needed to straighten her legs. A year was spent in communication with physicians in Syracuse and the U.S. embassy in El Salvador. In January 2006, the medical mission team brought Flor and her mother home with them to Central New York for treatment. After six months with us, she returned home walking and skipping with the hope of a full life. We will continue to provide the medication she requires until she is full grown and no longer in need of it.
One of our earliest stories is the story of Flor. Flor is a child from the village of San Juan de Letran. This little girl, (about 10 at the time) held onto her father’s hand in a long line waiting to see the doctor during our medical mission in January 2005. She hobbled over to our pediatrician and her father asked if we had any medicine to help his daughter. Flor suffered from a form of rickets which was progressing to a point when she would be unable to walk. The family had no resources to get help, and the medicine she needed to contain the disease was not available in the country. The medical team returned home thinking there had to be a way to help her. The first step was to provide funding for her to be seen by doctors in San Salvador. She was sent for diagnostic lab tests and xrays; however, none of the surgeons in the country would perform the surgery she needed to straighten her legs. A year was spent in communication with physicians in Syracuse and the U.S. embassy in El Salvador. In January 2006, the medical mission team brought Flor and her mother home with them to Central New York for treatment. After six months with us, she returned home walking and skipping with the hope of a full life. We will continue to provide the medication she requires until she is full grown and no longer in need of it.
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