U.S. NGO ‘Healing the Children’ Medical Mission Will Perform Surgeries on 40 Salvadoran Children
November 27, 2007

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On Monday, November 26, Ambassador Charles L. Glazer and his wife Janet visited Divina Providencia Maternity Hospital, located in Santiago Texacuangos, where a medical mission from the United States will perform surgeries on children from low income families.

The group of 11 doctors and support personnel belong to the American non governmental organization Healing the Children.  Thanks to Divina Providencia’s director Dr. David Cárcamo, Healing the Children is here for the second year in a row.

It is expected that mission medics will operate on 40 children who were on Benjamin Bloom National Children Hospital’s waiting list for urological and ear, nose and throat surgeries.  Last year’s Healing the Children mission members performed 25 ear, nose and throat surgeries and evaluated 76 candidates for heart surgery. So far nine of those patients have already traveled to the US for their surgeries thanks to Healing the Children.

“These missions are very important because we take care of the children and at the same time we reduce the long waiting lists that the national hospitals have”, said Dr. Cárcamo.

Ambassador Glazer recognized the work of the American doctors and said he was moved to see how these professionals travel to El Salvador to help needy people. The doctors are not only providing their experience and know-how, but they also bring all the equipment and materials needed for the surgeries.  They also bring gifts for the youngest patients and donations for the hospital.

When asked what makes them come back to El Salvador, Healing the Children director Rita Lavin answered: “I think it’s the people, the connection we have with the people here is the most important thing”.

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