Wednesday, December 5, 2012

Mary | Honduras


Mary Beth Bender is a UW Master’s student who traveled to Honduras in the Summer of 2012. As a nursing student, Mary visited Honduras to participate in a Faculty-LedProgram.  Students in the program earned academic credit by working at a clinic in Agua Salada, Honduras.

Reflecting on the trip, Mary said: “The entire experience was wonderful… meeting people who have so little, but are so deeply appreciative of the healthcare we were able to provide was incredible.” During the group’s last night in Agua Salada, the village had a church service and party in  honor of the UW volunteers. About this Mary says, “They brought cake and soda, and set up a stereo system to play music so we could all dance.  The people of the village apologized that they could not give more to show their appreciation, but we were all deeply humbled and honored by all they had done for us.”

Mary’s biggest challenge during her trip was the language barrier. She says, “Providing healthcare to people in a remote village in Honduras, with limited medical supplies and a language barrier, was an enormous challenge.  However, our team of a nurse midwife, physicians, nurse practitioners, nurses, pharmacy student, dental hygienist, translators and so many other wonderful team members worked amazingly well together, problem-solved together, and provided the best care possible with the resources we had available.”

Overall, the program was a great experience for Mary who says she would like to return as soon as possible.

If you’re interested in traveling to Honduras or participating in a Faculty-Led Program, feel free to contact  Mary at mfontana@uwyo.edu   

Interested in finding out more about the trip? Check out the group's website. 

No comments:

Post a Comment