Mission trips to numerous locations brought faculty and students together during this years' spring break, March 4 - 12, 2011.

MISSISSIPPI

		A group from SHU went to Mississippi in January to continue with the rebuilding efforts in the Gulf Coast, including Isabelle Farrington School of Education (IFSOE) Professor Michael Giarratano and the students pictured.  Also from the college but not pictured were: Veronica Gragnano, exercise science, Veronica McGorry, nursing and Leah Richards, nursing.
Monica Leisner, Physical Therapy	Steven Fiorenza Exercise Science	For more information please visit:  MISSISSIPPI

Amy Comley      Physical Therapy	Education Professor      Michael Giarratano

Philip Farrelly      Physical Therapy	Arianna DeLucia          Athletic Training

EL SALVADOR

Education Professors‘ Dr. Maria Lizano-DiMare, Dr. Terry Neu, and  Dr. Susan Dinnocenti  joined the delegation of SHU community members who travelled to El Salvador for a cross cultural mission experience. The trip continued an annual tradition that began almost twenty yers ago. The town of Tierra Blanca is a community plagued by war, poverty, earthquakes, and severe health disparities. The SHU delegation work to bring hope and help to the people by working on projects that are important to them.  Fund-raising, a significant part of the delegations’ work, is used to support the local communities.

 

GUATEMALA
In continuation of the medical mission and field experience initiated by the Nursing Department in March 2010, nursing and physical therapy faculty and students collaborated to bring medical help and supplies to the citizens of Pastores and other areas surrounding the city of Antigua in Guatemala this year. Unlike the previous trip which focused on obstetrics, general medicine was the focus of this trip.

Professor Constance Glenn and nursing student, Emily Woods treat a patient at the makeshift clinic.		Elizabeth Cross, entertains children at the malnutrition center with an art project.

Dr. David Cameron treats a woman for shoulder pain and painful weakness. She had pain and difficulty using her right arm to lift and carry her young child.
He performed passive range of motion exercise with shoulder joint mobilization to restore full painfree range of motion at the shoulder and followed this activity with specific manually resisted strengthening exercise to restore strength balance to her shoulder muscles. Muscular imbalance that lead to tissue breakdown, pain and painful weakness had resulted from carrying her baby a particular way.

For many Guatemalans the cost of seeing a doctor is a luxury, often the equivalent of a weeks’ salary. The public hospital refuses treatment to anyone without a job and there are no government assistance programs.

The group consisted of four nursing faculty, Professor Michelle Cole, Dr. Susan DeNisco, Professor Constance Glenn, Professor Eileen Yost, and staff members Elizabeth Cross and Christina Gunther. Joining them were four graduate nursing students, eight undergraduate nursing students as well as physical therapy faculty member, Dr. David Cameron and five doctorate of physical therapy students. The mission got underway months prior to departure when the group began collecting monetary contributions, medical supplies, and a long list of provisions that most of us take for granted but most Guatemalans do without.

In addition to administering medical care at a make shift clinic in the local church and making home visits to those who were unable to travel, the group spent a full day at the malnutrition center where children are in treatment for six months to a year. SHU nursing and physical therapy faculty were able to evaluate several of the children and offer recommendations for care.

If you would like to read about the previous trips to Guatemala please click on the links below.

March 2010 Guatemala                                October 2010 Guatemala   

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