As Director of Operations in Guatemala, I have the responsibility of leading our volunteer Surgical Teams and rural Medical Mission. My job takes me to the largely forgotten rural areas where hundreds of people await our missions and into the hospitals where we provide our surgeries.
Fourteen surgical teams and five medical missions were scheduled for this year and due to the Corona Virus, all since early March have had to cancel. It is highly probable that no volunteer medical teams will be able to come for the remainder of 2020 but most are hoping to return in 2021. I am working to ensure their return and also communicating with our Health Promotors regarding patients awaiting surgery and enquiries from those hoping to be included on our patient list when surgical teams return. Working with members of the Partner for Surgery Board, I have contacted the leaders of canceled teams regarding a donation as we struggle to maintain our programs. Many have been generous and we are deeply grateful for their support.
For twenty years, we have been filling an unmet need in rural Guatemala by providing medical and surgical care unavailable from the Guatemalan health service. With the impact of the coronavirus and travel restrictions, the need is only increasing. We will be ready to meet that challenge because of your continued assistance. Thank you so
much for your invaluable support.
Warm regards,
Ariel Marroquin
Director of Operations
