Summer 2011 Compassionate Healthcare: the St
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The Franciscan Times The Franciscan A NEWSLETTER HELPING MEMBERS OF THE THIRD ORDER Times OF THE SOCIETY OF ST. FRANCIS SHARE THEIR COMMON JOURNEY THROUGH NEWS FROM FELLOWSHIPS AND INDIVIDU- ALS, REVIEWS OF BOOKS AND TAPES, POETRY, STORIES, ESSAYS, REFLECTIONS, MEDITATIONS, GRAPHICS, AND WHAT- EVER THE HOLY SPIRIT MIGHT BLOW OUR WAY. Summer 2011 Compassionate Healthcare: The St. from diverse specialties. Andrew’s Children’s Clinic, Nogales, For almost 37 years, the St. Andrew’s Children’s Clinic has provided free, specialized medical care to extreme- Arizona ly poor children living in Mexico who do not have Charles W. Hannan (new TSSF novice and volunteer at the access to, or whose parents cannot afford the care they clinic) need in their home country. The Clinic is non-denomi- The children and their parents begin lining up at the national and non-profit. Funding comes from individu- main entrance of St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church soon als donating what they can, plus church and corporate after dawn. I see a few of the mothers holding their donations. There is no government funding from either babies close, trying to keep them warm in the cold the U.S. or Mexico. Arizona winter morning because they don’t have baby In a typical year there will be approximately 2,400 blankets. Some of the older children are wearing quite Clinic doctor visits, 260 Office visits in the U.S. and thin jackets and are shivering. Mexico, 230 medical diagnostic tests given, 40 cleft pal- All are anxiously waiting for the doctors, nurses, thera- ate/cleft lip surgeries performed, 30-plus orthopedic pists and volunteers to arrive and The Clinic to open surgeries, 25 eye surgeries, plus numerous prostheses, for the day. Clinic days are especially long and tiring orthotic footwear, medications, hearing aids, wheel- for the little ones. Patients have an appointment for the chairs, walkers, Braille writers, and eye glasses fitted day, but not for a specific time. They are seen on a first- and dispensed. come basis, and it is not unusual for a patient to see In addition to specialized medical care, The Clinic also one or more doctors and other health care profession- distributes food, clothing and toys; especially in De- als the same day. Their quiet patience while waiting is cember, when hundreds of donated toys, blankets, mit- amazing. tens and caps are given out. Many are hand-crafted and For some of the parents and children it is fairly easy to knit throughout the year by individuals and church get to The Clinic; just a short walk to the Nogales Port groups of many different denominations. of Entry. But for others it means making a grueling Every October, in cooperation with Children’s Surgery two-day trip. There they are processed through the En- International, approximately 40 infants have cleft pal- try by U.S. Customs and Border Protection Agents who ate/cleft lip surgery at CIMA Hospital in Hermosillo, generously volunteer their personal time. Once on the Sonora, Mexico. This mission has become a special Arizona side of the border, they are project of The Clinic because it in- met by volunteer clinic bus and van volves many enthusiastic volunteers, drivers who pick them up and trans- on both sides of the U.S.-Mexico port them the few blocks to St. An- border, who work with the medical drew’s Episcopal Church. Inside the team to give these young patients Church and attached pre-school, every beautiful smiles and a much better inch of space is transformed into La life. Clinica on the first Thursday of every Here are some of our patient “sto- month, except July. On a typical day, ries.” upwards of 200 or more children, from At the May Clinic, a infancy to age 18, are seen and treated Joshua and specialist in spinal cord by the volunteer medical professionals Javier injuries came from the Page 2 The Franciscan Times Summer 2011 Northern California Javier is 13 years old and has an extremely high palate. Shriners Hospital to see The inability to breathe through his nose prevents him two spinal cord injury from making some speech sounds that require a nasal patients, Joshua (age 5) tone. Also, his speech is limited by his small mouth and Javier (age 6). In Au- shape and having jutting lower teeth. Our Speech and gust, 2008 the boys were Language Therapists work with him to better form riding in an automobile speech sounds. with their parents. They There are literally hundreds of similar stories like these. were in the wrong place Stories of mothers and fathers who, by word of mouth, at the wrong time, and hear of The Clinic back in their towns and villages in were caught in the cross- northern and central Mexico. fire of a shootout. Both boys suffered spinal The children have a variety of medical conditions, such cord injuries and are as cerebral palsy, spina bifida, brittle bones disease, paralyzed from the waist club foot, trauma injuries, cleft palate, vision loss and down. eye diseases, hearing loss, intestinal disorders, and malnutrition. It has been said that in one day, the medi- Last year, the boys and cal students from the University of Arizona Medical their mother were sent School that volunteer here will see more kinds of cases, by The Clinic to the and more advanced stages of illness, that they would Cristina Northern California Shriners Hospital for see in a typical six-month rotation at their teaching rehabilitation, and now they are able to zoom hospital. around and race each other in their special wheel chairs provided by the Shriners Hospital. They When I take visitors on a tour of The Clinic to see it in periodically come back to The Clinic to receive follow operation, many are moved to tears to see how pro- up care. Eventually, the boys will learn how to take foundly ill some of these little ones are, as they witness care of themselves. The goal is to help the boys to live the loving care and compassion given these children independently. by the many volunteer doctors, nurses, therapists and individuals who give of their skills and time to help Cristina is 5 months old, them. and is one of our cleft- palate babies. She had Throughout the history of The Clinic, the one continu- her cleft-lip repaired in ing factor is love. The love of the parents who bring February, but will require their children to The Clinic for a miracle is overwhelm- additional surgery to re- ing. They tenderly care for their disabled children, pair her cleft-palate when carry them in their arms, even when their size is bur- she is 12-18 months old. densome, and faithfully teach their children at home, Our volunteer Occupa- whether it is practicing speech patterns or exercising tional Therapists work muscles. The love of the volunteers (some who have with Cristina’s mother Ivan been with us 30-35 years) is evident everywhere as they to ensure Cristina can handle drinking from faithfully return each month to help our patients. a special bottle with nipples contoured to This truly is Franciscan love at work because provid- accommodate her cleft-palate, enabling her to receive ing needed medical care to children recognizes no proper nutrition. These are provided by The Clinic. borders. It is providing parents with hope and the Ivan was born with 5 fingers but no thumb on both knowledge that their of his hands. Without thumbs it is almost impossible children now have a to grasp objects, pick up small objects or to eat with real opportunity to one hand. Through arrangements made by the St. live a better life. Andrew’s Children’s Clinic, in August, 2009, Ivan had [The clinic website is hand surgery at the Sacramento Shriners Hospital that at www.standrews- repositioned the extra finger on his right hand to the clinic.org and you can thumb position. His new “thumb” does most of what make a donation at a normal thumb would do, and now Ivan can write the website.) quite well with his right hand and do many things he Javier couldn’t do before. Summer 2011 The Franciscan Times Page 3 New Zealand Earthquake Mossman High School. It was a sobering experience to be moved from our comfort zone, even for a day or so. John Hebenton, Minister Provincial of the Province of There was a great deal of practical Franciscanism Aoteraroa/New Zealand and Polynesia with Melanesia shown in people caring for one another, and the ster- Grace and peace to you, ling service provided by the emergency agencies. My I spoke with Maggie (Area Chaplain) last night. All Ter- wife and I shared with a number of senior citizens that tiaries are ok. Some have left Christchurch for family, I had known when I was the priest in Mossman/Port or are living with family in Christchurch, their houses Douglas. having suffered from the earthquake. However, all are My son’s girlfriend showed me that service that is at well and safe, for which we give thanks to God the heart of the Order. She is a Registered Nurse who Please keep Maggie in your prayers. She is working provided medical support throughout the ordeal. But in an inner city parish, visiting people, hearing their the main task she gave herself was the cleaning of the stories, being a pastor. The parish has decided to visit toilets, which she maintained for about 24 hours. The every house in their parish, so this will be demanding same girl of stout Anglican stock cannot face the pious work.