Guatemala Eye Clinics
Check out the photo of the new Mobile Clinic operated by Club Rotario de Huehuetenango, Guatemala. Our Club, and other Clubs in District 5370 contributed funds for this vehicle, which is used to conduct eye clinics, dental clinics and other health clinics in remote villages.
Ben Doz, accompanied by Marley Doz, Lorne Proctor, Dr. Matt Tennant, Dr. Chris Rudnisky, Ralph and Kathy Playdon and Michel Dorais have just returned from Guatemala after conducting the 2006 Eye Clinic mission. Best wishes for a speedy recovery to Marley, whose foot was injured by a shattered mirror, resulting in an unscheduled trip to Guatemala City for surgery, and an early return to Edmonton.
Each year, for some eight or nine years, Optometrist & member of Edmonton West Rotary Club, Dr. Ben Doz & his wife Marley have been travelling to Guatemala to conduct eye clinics at remote, generally Mayan, villages. The clinics are arranged by Dr. Carlos Solorzano, an Opthamologist and member of the Rotary Club of Huehuetenango, Guatemala.
These clinics provide free eye examinations, dispensing of medications, minor eye surgeries and dispensing of free eye glasses to the poor people who not only have no access to such services, but who could not afford them even if they had access.
Ben's team takes a good supply of reading glasses and frames for prescription glasses, so the patients have their choice of style and colour. If prescription lenses are required, the patient selected frames are placed in an envelope along with the prescription, and they are brought back to Edmonton for the grinding and fitting of the lenses by Ben's company. When all the prescription glasses are complete, they are bulk shipped to Dr. Carlos in Huehuetenango for distribution and delivery to the patients.
The Rotary Club of Huehuetenango provides hosting, transport and translation services for Ben's teams. This is one of their Community Service Projects, whereas for our Club, it is an International Service Project.
The January 2006 eye mission plans to do laser eye surgeries at a hospital in Huehuetenango, plus it will conduct the usual eye clinics in remote villages in the region. Ben's team is looking forward to using a new cube van, which is being equipped to serve as a mobile clinic for eye, dental and medical missions in remote areas. The purchase of this van by the Rotary Club of Huehue was substantially funded by a Rotary Club in the USA.
Participation in one of these eye missions is a very rewarding experience. Firstly, it is an adventure vacation. You will visit remote areas where ordinary tourists would never venture. You will be hosted by and living with local Rotarians, so you get to see how they live in that part of the world. You will travel on busy highways and on remote trails, grinding up steep hills in the cool high mountains, and down into hot jungle valleys. And, it's not all work and no play - you will no doubt visit some Mayan ruins, spend some time on the beach, and visit some old churches and museums.
But the payback in terms of satisfaction for helping some of the world's poorest people is enormous. The ear-to-ear smiles, the handshakes and the hugs are all they have to offer, but that's the part you will never forget. To participate in one of Ben's missions, don't hesitate to ask him questions, or indicate your possible interest.