Colorado based Dr. Ted Ning has been working in Guatemala for many years as founder of Puente de Amistad and Starfish One by One. He and other family members also volunteer at Hospitalito Atitlán. There is great need for service of a urologist in the community. There were many questions for Dr. Ted during morning report today. Patients will be scheduled to see him over the next two months.

Four babies were born at Hospitalito on Monday within four hours.  This was a first for the staff and fortunately they arrived like clockwork, as one woman left the labor and delivery room for her patient room, another was admitted.  Three girls were born, and one baby boy born to Petrona Lopez who is sponsored in the Maternal Infant program.  http://www.hospitalitoatitlan.org/sponsorship.html

Cristobal asked to have his photo taken with his new piece of lab equipment…. a hematology counter. Thanks to our friends at Club Rotario Guatemala West, he can now do lab tests in much less time speeding up the patient care process.

University of Pennsylvania’s faculty and physicians visited Hospitalito this week. Dr. Kent Bream and librarian Anne Seymour brought a computer screen for the new Hospitalito Bio Medical Library. At morning report, Anne gave demonstrations on Spanish language medical resources and Kent demonstrated skype for tele-conferencing. Everyone is very excited about the new learning opportunities.

http://www.cojolya.org/blog/

Jody Slocum is a long time friend and frequent visitor to Hospitalito Atitlán. She heads a Wisconsin organization called Farmer to Farmer, and each year brings people interested in learning more about Guatemala, Santiago Atitlán, and the Hospitalito. The group generously brings donations from our wish list.  Pictured are Peggy McDanial, Lyn Dickey, Jody Slocum, Fitzie Heimdahl, ZaKayana Drung and Mary McDanial. Thank you all for the wonderful visit and thoughtful gifts.

On Sunday nearly sixty people arrived for pre-surgery evaluations. Monday the team did ten scheduled surgeries and an emergency appendectomy and another emergency. In total the team performed 35 surgeries this week. Dan Cummings also helped in many ways. They also did some teaching while they were here, some climbed the volcano San Pedro and all enjoyed their time here.  We look forward very much to their return.

Josefa Daiman Ajuchan is a woman who has been part of the Maternal Infant Sponsorship program for about one year. Two months ago the doctors discovered that baby Maynor Isaac Sapalú Sacarias was not growing as he should be… and they learned that Josefa wasn’t producing much milk. Because she is sponsored in the program, the Hospitalito was able to purchase formula for little Maynor who is seven months old now. Josefa and Maynor are both very happy with the help from the program. If you would like to help a Tz’utujil Maya woman to have a healthy pregnancy and baby, please consider sponsoring a woman.  http://www.hospitalitoatitlan.org/sponsorship.html

Yesterday Rita and Cristobal made the move to the new laboratory on the second floor of the Hospitalito. Rita and her husband John have volunteered at HA since the first surgical jornada in 2005. In November they arrived so that John could lend a hand with OB and Rita help Cristobal with the move. Unfortunately, Rita fell the first day she arrived and fractured her patella, but it barely slowed her down.  Today they leave Santiago Atitlán and will be missed by all. What great and loving energy they have for the community. Thanks John and Rita.

In April 2005, we dedicated Hospitalito Atitlán in Panabaj. Then because of the disaster of Tropical Storm Stan, we started over. In 2006, we dedicated the land where the new hospital would be built.

In 2007 we dedicated the completion of the medical bodega and welcomed hospital architect David Schele, who donated his design for the new HA. In 2010, we dedicated the completion of phase II and opened the first floor of the new hospital.

Saturday, we dedicated the second floor and the completion of construction. Thanks to all of you who have made this possible. It has been a long journey… but the efforts were worth it. Hope our donors will all visit soon.  

Bonnie O’Neill is presented with a gift of recognition for her work with Amigos Hospitalito Atitlán and the campaign to build the new hospital. Out going K’aslimaal secretary Karin Bergstresser spoke about Bonnie’s contributions.