Medical Mission Trip Jenna Ball, Chelsea Ellis & Terra Hill Sponsored by Medical Missions Foundation (MMF) Jenna Ball, Chelsea Ellis & Terra Hill Second Year Medical Students at University of Kansas School of Medicine

Antigua, Guatemala National language of Guatemala is Spanish. However 21 different Mayan languages are spoken throughout the country. According to the 2007 census, the city has some 34,685 inhabitants,

Antigua, Guatemala

Background Beginning with the first mission visit in 1998, Medical Missions Foundation saw a community in desperate need of specialized surgical care. 75% of the population is estimated to live below the poverty line and suffer from limited access to medical care, and specialty care is nearly non-existent. Our annual mission fulfills a need for urological and ENT specialty surgeries, as well as providing audiology screening and hearing aid fittings.

Purpose 9 out of 10 people around the world cannot access even the most basic surgical services. Due to lack of adequate medical infrastructure, community education, and financial resources,many people suffer from conditions or symptoms that a basic surgery, or medical care could alleviate.

Las Obras Sociales Hermano Pedro Hospital Hospital Information Las Obras Sociales Hermano Pedro Hospital The hospital facilities are set up to enable visiting medical teams to provide surgical specialties that the community would otherwise not have access to due to lack of local resources and high costs of private doctors and surgeons.

The Experience

Favorite Experience “The people of Guatemala were very special, and the patients and families were so grateful for the services we were providing. I did not speak Spanish well enough to communicate with patients, so I truly learned the meaning behind the phrase, “Everyone smiles in the same language.” I was able to interact with a young patient after his surgery just through smiling. I came on this mission prepared to learn about medicine and surgery, and I left with so much more.” --Jenna

Favorite Experience “The trip to Guatemala was an experience of a lifetime. I learned so much inside and outside of the OR. The doctors and nurses were so kind and patient with me, I was able to relax and soak up as much knowledge as possible. It was also such a humbling experience seeing patients smiling and excited not only to see the doctor but for surgery as well. It made me realize that in the United States it can be easy to take for granted our access to such incredible healthcare.” --Chelsea

Role & Responsibilities “One of the best parts of this trip was that our main role was to simply be a student; to learn as much as possible each and every day! With this organization, the people from Guatemala and from here, along with the other medical students, it was an enjoyable and easy job to do!” --Terra

Profound Cultural Experience

Profound Clinical Experience

Results BY THE NUMBERS Clinics 132 ENT and Urology Clinic patients 185 Audiology Clinic patients 140 Hearing Aids provided (with kits containing batteries for 1 year. Thanks, Casey!) Surgeries 106 ENT and Urology surgeries Also.. 1 Resident 5 Medical Students 5 Audiology Students 1 Student Registered Nurse Anesthetist 59 Mission Team Members Total And… 1 Earthquake (6.8 Richter scale)

Thank Yous Deb Nicklaus Dr. Pam Nicklaus Dr. Steve Simpson Dr. Thomas Herrick Dr. Richard Weimer Dr. Hallie Lehman Dr. Kim Baker Dr. Eric Weissend Dr. Terry Chaffee Dr. Montgomery Dr. Marc Milsten All of the nurses, support staff, etc. All the residents of Antigua, Guatemala