New Blog Site Continues the Iowa MOST Story

To read current news about Iowa MOST in Guatemala, please go to our new location at  iowamost.wordpress.com.  Also see our Iowa MOST Facebook page.

A Bit of a Delay

Not everything goes as planned and hoped.  Weather related issues have caused a flight cancelation for Iowa travelers going to Dallas.  Everything is pushed back.  There is hope for a better tomorrow.

Gratitude to All

As we embark on our tenth mission of Iowa MOST, we want to express our gratitude to the following organizations and people who have helped us to organize this year's endeavor.

• DHL Global Forwarding for donation of the shipping of our supplies to Guatemala.  We appreciate our long-time relationship and the generosity shown to us.

• Knowledge Meridian for processing applications, for gathering information and communicating with the team making the process work smoothly and efficiently.  

• Rapid Reproductions for ten years of providing team recognition certificates and team name badges.  Thank you yet again!

• Huehuetenango Rotary Club for their generous support of the Iowa MOST volunteers and the patients we serve.  So much appreciation goes to you.

• Rotary Clubs of Rotary District 6000 for years of substantial donations to fund the costs of this project.  Your steadfast support makes this project continue.

• Hospital Salus for the use of the hospital and the support of all the fine staff without whom this mission could not be realized.  Thank you, mil gracias.

The WHOLE Team - A thank you to our partner supporters!

Iowa MOST appreciates the support of its team members, but there are other players whose patronage also makes the mission a success.  A large debt of gratitude goes to:

Contributing District 6000 Rotary clubs, for annual financial donations that help to sustain this district project;

Hospital Salus and its employees, for the use of the hospital and for the efforts of its kind and supportive volunteer staff;

DHL Global Forwarding, for donating the shipment of supplies to Guatemala;

Rapids Reproductions, Inc. (Technigraphics), for creating and donating team member names tags and certificates;

Hills Bank, for underwriting the cost of team lanyards and gifts of key chains for our Guatemalan partners.

Iowa MOST relies on the strong assistance received from these generous entities.  They, too, are members of the Iowa MOST team who help to bring smiles to many faces of Guatemala.  Thank you, thank you, mil gracias!  You make this important work happen. 

Diego

Families go to great lengths to access care through the Iowa MOST mission in the western highlands of Guatemala. Diego, the 13 year old uncle, carefully carried his one year old nephew in for his procedure. The baby's mother who speaks a Mayan dialect came too with her younger child. Because Diego understands Spanish he was the recipient of all surgical information and discharge instructions. Nurse Katie Guckert explains medications and precautions to Diego, 

which he then shared with the baby's mother. They rode the bus for hours and worked out this system so the baby could receive the care. These families changed our lives!

 — inHuehuetenango, Guatemala.

Submitted by Jacque Andrew

Committed leaders

The experience of Iowa MOST (Miles of Smiles Team) is one that CHANGES LIVES
not only for those served but also for those who help! This labor of love
would not exist without the leadership of Gary Pacha, chair of the Iowa MOST
mission. We all owe deep gratitude to Gary for the untold hours/days/years
he has devoted to making this possible. Through his efforts the relationship
with Dr. Oscar Marroquin (at right) has been built to allow Iowa MOST to
operate in the Salus hospital each year. Karin Franklin keeps all the
volunteers on track with surgery schedules, patient records and so much
more. What a truly awesome experience to see the surgeons,
anesthesiologists, pediatricians, dentists, medical students, nurses,
bio-medical engineer, geneticist and volunteers work together to change the
lives of these young patients! Thanks to all for your commitment to Iowa
MOST!

 Submitted by Jacque Andrew

Father-Son Team

Medical director of Iowa MOST, Dr. John Canady and son Frank Canady, a senior at Grinnell College who will begin medical school at the University of Iowa in the fall, had the opportunity to experience Iowa MOST together for the first time in 2014.  Dr. Canady, an ear, nose and throat--plastic surgery specialist, has been involved in cleft palate and lip repair missions since 1991 in locations around the world.  Frank was able observe in the OR and participate in other aspects of the mission as a non-medical volunteer.

Submitted by Jacque Andrew