Team Scores Smiles & More in April 2008

Iowans & Guatemalans & Rotary!

Teaming up to make a difference!

On April 5, 2008, the Rotary 6000 Iowa MOST (Miles of Smiles Team) began its journey to perform cleft lip/palate and dental surgeries in the highlands of Guatemala. The 30-member Iowa team included many mission-experienced medical personnel from the University of Iowa, who worked with hospital personnel at the Hospital Regional de Occidente San Juan de Dios, Quetzaltenango (Xela).

The Iowa Miles of Smiles Team was capably augmented by Guatemalan doctors Juan Carlos Garcia Moran and Antonio Rosal Alvarez, and nure Viki Lopez Gutierrez from Huehuetenango. Two generous benefactors, Sal and Maru Danial, worked as translators for the project, and Dr. Bill Olin, who originally inspired the Iowa MOST mission, joined the team for screening and the first morning of surgeries in Xela.

During its week at Xela, the team of surgeons, nurses, pediatricians, anesthesiologist, dentists and non-medical support volunteers screened 69 patients, primarily Mayan children, and completed 55 medical procedures, including 16 cleft lip surgeries, five cleft palate surgeries, three fistual surgeries and dental placement of six obturators as well as multiple teeth extractions.

A great deal was accomplished medically under sometimes trying conditions, and through it all, Dr. John Canady, lead surgeon, continually cautioned the team: "We need to proceed slowly and safely, just as if we were at home making medical decisions for our own children," Canady said, and added, "These children in Guatemala are our children." And, the team met his goal of leaving with more than 30 children and even a few adults restored -- to smile without shame, and to be able to speak and eat more normally. No one was less well off due to the team's efforts.

The Iowa Miles of Smiles Team, who volunteered their time and skills, were amply paid with tears, smiles and hugs of gratitude from thankful families, and the knowledge that many lives had been improved due to their cooperative efforts as a team and the magnanimous support of the Rotary 6000 members in Iowa and the Quetzaltenango Rotary in Guatemala.

Jan Ahlberg Remembers.. & Says, "Thank You."

A big thank you to Iowa MOST 2008 for giving
me the opportunity to participate in the Cleft Lip & Cleft Palate Repair team trip to Quetzaltenango, Guatemala.

It was a week of inspiration as well as learning for me. The care and attention given to each child and family by team members was heart warming, and an example of how dedication to an ideal can bring life changes to others.

The posted pictures and stories bring back wonderful memories. I have told lots of friends about my week in Guatemala, but the pictures really describe it.

Sending heartfelt thanks to all. Jan



Jan Ahlberg served officially as the record keeper for Iowa MOST '08. She was especially commended for her work as translator & assistant for dentists Steve Hedlund & Bill LaVelle.

Emily Remembers Victor Victorino

It was the morning that Victor would have his surgery. I was documenting vital signs on all of the kids, when I heard an "Emily." Victor wanted to show me the coloring book page that he had just colored. He was so very proud. This fun went on all morning. Victor was very chatty with me and full of hugs.

Victor left for the OR (operating room). His mother waited patiently. When Victor's mother heard that Victor was ready to return to the pediatrics room, she skipped out of the room with excitement. Their reunion was heartwarming. Victor's mother cried as she and Victor left the hospital. So very happy, they hugged nearly the entire team goodbye.

Emily Berglund served as a pediatric nurse in Quetzaltenango, April 2008.

Post-Op Family Reunions at Xela

Last Night in Guatemala

Iowa MOST gathered in Guatemala City for a farewell dinner on Monday, April 14, 2008... a joyous occasion filled with expressions of gratitude for a good mission and continued team spirit.

The next morning -- a 5:45 a.m. wakeup call, a quick van ride to the airport, checking in & changing gears for leaving Guatemala & re-entry to the USA & our 'regular' lives... Safe arrival home with fond goodbyes to team mates & happy hellos to loved ones who came to meet us.

The 2008 Iowa MOST mission is completed, but the Miles of Smiles postings on this blog site will continue as team members send in their photos & stories of their perspectives and insights of our time in Quetzaltenango. We hope you will stay tuned as the valuable story of Iowa MOST continues to unfold...

Last Day for Surgeries in Xela

The team finishes its mission in Xela on Friday, April 11, 2008, with a full schedule of surgeries & post op & pediatric care.

Photographs feature ~

* Deb Strike, Chandra Beals, Pat Wehrle & Jodi Jones in surgery.

* Team members Ruben Zuniga, Mindy Bowen, Pat Plohman, Bill LaVelle, Robert Forbes & Susan Adamson taking a welcome break!

* Oscar Gomez, Dee Grems & Pete Wallace in the pediatric room.

* Emily Berglund & Viki Lopez Gutierrez attend to a patient in the pediatric room.

* The team's translator, guide & facilitator Francisco (Paco) Fernandez, takes time to flash his winning smile.

* Ruben Zuniga demonstrates how he steralizes instruments for the surgical teams.

* Lael Stander looks on as Jim Schuh & Jody Meyer prep a patient for surgery.

* Tom Cannon, John Canady, Jim Schuh & Jen Oliver prepare for surgery.

* Natalie Freed, Jodi Jones, Gary Pacha & Deb Strike in surgery.

Mucho Gracias a Rotario Quetzaltenango

Not enough thanks can ever be given to the Rotarians of Quetzaltenango for their generous hospitality & support to the Iowa MOST medical mission. Without their extensive efforts, the medical mission could not have been accomplished. Since July of 2007, when the second oldest Rotary Club in Guatemala said, "Yes" to team leader Gary Pacha's proposal for local Rotarian partnership with the mission, members here in Quetzaltenango have worked arduously to prepare for and ensure the success of the cleft lip/palate medical mission.


Rotarians of Quetzaltenango, Guatemala pictured in this post are among the many local Rotarians who were instrumental in partnership with Iowa MOST in April 2008:

Dr. Fredy Barrios, Sofia de Barrios, Christina de Cifuentes, Miriam Richter, Dr. Raul Cordon, Jorge Cifuentes & John Diehl.

John Diehl, who served as the main contact in Guatemala for Iowa MOST, said from the beginning, the Rotary Club in Quetzaltenango worked to involve the hospital administration with the medical mission, so that it would be a cooperative effort. He noted that Rotarian Raul Corden worked diligently before and during the mission as a liaison with the administration and medical staff of Hospital Regional de Occidente San Juan de Dios. In the fall of 2007, Cordon was instrumental in arrnging for an Iowa delegation's tour of the hospital facilities, meetings with hospital officials and staff, and securing needed rooms, equipment and staffing assistance. Cordon also put the requested drug list from Iowa into Spanish and took responsibility for ordering the necessary drugs for the medical mission. He also secured the loan of critically needed medical equipment from Dr. Schele in Totonipican to enable more surgeries to be conducted. Jorge Fuentes, Rotario Quetzaltenango President, dealt with overall organizational support with Dr. Oscar Marroquin's guidance based on Marroquin's experience with previous Iowa MOST missions in Huehuetenango, Guatemala.

Diehl said the biggest hurdle -- getting the impossible done -- that is, getting the shipment of Iowa medical supplies and equipment through customs in a matter of a few days, proved not to be a hurdle at all. He credited DHL's working with Caritas in Guatemala as making the vital difference. He noted that a Rotary committee led by Efrain Figueroa worked to ensure that temporary medical licenses were issued to enable the Iowa medical team to practice medicine in Guatemala. Diehl headed up the group that made passport and customs clearance of Iowa MOST members entering Guatemala run smoothly. Luis Lopez coordinated another Rotary committee's efforts to provide Iowa MOST mission patients and their families shelter and food during their stay in Quetzaltenango.

Fundraising efforts, including a play (Cavrona a Bruta), auctions, a raffle and donations from area Rotary Clubs, were undertaken by the entire membership of Rotario Quetzaltenango under the leadership of Salvador Aguirre. These funds were used to provide generous support for Iowa MOST, including noon meals, bottled water, transportation, countless supplies, logistical assistance, an excellent restaurant meal (with hosts Hans & Marina Vielman) and an evening farewell part at the Tennis Club in Quetzaltenango.

Fredy Barrios led a committee that did extensive publicity (news media, posters, contacts with priests, pastors and clinic personnel) to identify and get the word out to potential candidates and their families about the opportunity for cleft lip/palate surgery and dental work during the Iowa MOST 2008 mission in Quetzaltenango. Others helped with hotel arrangements, and all of these efforts wer ably and graciously assisted by the Women's Rotary Auxiliary, the Comite de Damas Rotarias.