GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ) – Over a dozen Bellin College nursing students are preparing for an experience of a lifetime that will potentially change the lives of hundreds of less fortunate.
On January 7-15, 2017, 13 students, 4 faculty members-nurse practitioners and Bellin Health medical providers will travel to Guatemala for a special medical mission trip serving the poorest of the poor.
Assistant Professor of Nursing, Lynn Murphy is facilitating the trip and says they will be traveling to Alda Punta de Palma and Izabel.
“We’ll be visiting 3 villages and we will also be going to Puerto Barrios to the city dump and will be setting up a clinic there.”
The city dump is the size of 10 football fields with around 300 residents. 40 of those residents are children under the age of 3.
Many of the villagers will travel over an hour to visit the clinic Bellin College will be setting up.
“For most of them, the only healthcare that they are able to get in a year’s time, is the clinic we will be providing for them,” said Murphy.
The students, staff and medical professionals will be putting in long days, getting up at the sunrise and working until sunset. They will be dealing with many types medical conditions.
“A lot of things are related to nutritional decencies but also parasites is a common issue, respiratory complaints is a big issue also,” Murphy explains.
Students and staff have visited this area of Guatemala before but this is the first year the college is providing credit for the journey.
