Medical Mission to Guatemala

On April 5, 2008, the Rotary 6000 Iowa MOST (Miles of Smiles Team) begins its journey to the highlands of Guatemala. The 29-member team will work with local partners at the hospital in Quetzaltenango (known locally as Xela) to perform cleft lip/palate surgeries for both children and adults.The Iowa Miles of Smiles Team will be joined by Guatemalan doctors Juan Carlos Garcia Moran and Antonio Rosal Alvarez, and nurse Viki Lopez Gutierrez from Huehuetenango. Two generous benefactors, Sal and Maru Danial, will meet the team in Guatemala as volunteers for our project. Dr. Bill Olin who originally inspired the Iowa MOST mission will also spend a few days in Xela. Iowa MOST members looking forward to working with local Guatemalan Rotarians and hospital staff include:
Surgeons ~ John Canady, Drew Dillman & Jodi L. Jones
Anesthetists ~ Robert Forbes, Jim Schuh, Chandra Beals & Tom Cannon
Dentists ~ Bill LaVelle & Steve Hedlund
Pediatricians ~ Oscar Gomez & Pete Wallace
Medical Students ~ Natalie Freed & Lael Stander
OR Nurses ~ Pat Wehrle, Deb Strike, Jody Meyer & Jen Oliver
RR Nurses ~ Mindy Bowen & Susan Adamson
Floor Nurses ~ Emily Berglund & Dee Grems
Nursing Assistant ~ Ruben Zuniga
Biomedical Engineer ~ Rick Borchard
Team Leader~ Gary Pacha
Supply/Quartermaster ~ Karin Franklin
Tranlator ~ Francisco Fernandez
Photo Journalist ~ Melody Rockwell
Record Keeper ~ Jan Ahlberg
Pediatric/Rec. Room Assistant ~ Pat Plohman