Guatemala and Nicaragua, 2007

Karen Balos, LCSW, on Guatemala
This trip has been indescribably wonderful. At the first clinic we visited, Centro de Salud de Tecpan, Chimaltenago, we were immersed in a sea of beautiful Mayan women wearing rainbows! We treated 90 women for various gynecological infections, running the gamut from Chlamydia to yeast, and oh, by the way, saved five lives, i.e., we zapped their cervical dysplasia, which would have turned into cancer if left unattended. During the rest of our stay in Guatemala we worked at two additional clinics along the northern Caribbean coast and saw 86 more women. Additionally we worked with local doctors, nurses and medical students, training future doctors in the procedure used to prevent the cancers. What could be more significant and fulfilling than that? I frequently found myself overwhelmed with emotion, visual stimulation, gratitude and wonder.

Kit Durgin, retired non-profit administrator, on Nicaragua
At La Clinica Xochilt, in the village of El Viejo, we tested 35 women, and started training their dedicated doctor. Founded in 1999 by women of the banana workers union (bananaderas), Xochilt serves some of the poorest women in the country -- those who have survived the Somoza regime, war and natural disaster, and work in maquiladoras and plantations for a few dollars a day. We also met with the head doctor of the public hospital in nearby Chinandega, to organize an area symposium for our next visit. This region has no available treatment for cervical dysplasia; women must travel hours away to Managua, and wait months for treatment. PINCC plans to help train doctors from several health centers here.

Susan Howe, MPH, Nicaragua

PINCC gave the first Symposium on Prevention of Cervical Cancer in Matagalpa, sponsored by Hospital Cesar Amador Molina -- the third in an ongoing series of trainings by our newly-organized consortium in Nicaragua. The Matagalpa symposium was quite a learning experience for me. Monday's lecture by Dr. Kay Taylor and the practicum were very good and engaging. Over 30 medical people attended with many doctors coming from other hospitals and clinics. There were good questions and discussions about protocols, etc. with Dr. Garcia, Director of OB/GYN Residency at Berta Calderon Hospital, Managua, and Dr. Delgado, head of Matagalpa Hospital.
Tuesday and Wednesday's clinics were a bit overwhelming! We put the call out to other hospitals and clinics who responded enthusiastically by bringing their patients. Doctors and patients came from Trinidad in Esteli, the Grounds for Health Campaign and the hospital in Jinotega, ProSalud in Ciudad Dario, Clinica Maria Luisa Ortiz in Mukukuku, as well as patients from the Centros de Salud around Matagalpa -- hence we had patients needing treatment and doctors wanting training from 7 different facilities -- all at once! PINCC has been invited to continue training at the next symposium planned for May, involving 7 leading doctors and medical organizations across the country.

A special thank you to all of our wonderful medical people, interpreters and other volunteers from Texas to Canada, from the Atlantic to the Pacific who made this year a success.