Health Professions Students, Faculty Serve Others on Guatemala Trip
Besides providing therapy, students raised funds and built wheelchairs for children
Four faculty members from Sacred Heart University’s College of Health Professions (CHP) traveled to Guatemala last semester with a group of students on a service-learning trip, providing various types of therapy for adults and children.
SHU organizes service-learning experiences in Guatemala each October as an interprofessional collaboration for CHP students and faculty. Participants come from the departments of occupational therapy, physical therapy and communication disorders. This year’s group included 20 students and faculty members Donna Bowers, clinical professor of physical therapy and associate dean of faculty affairs and new initiatives; Katie Allen, adjunct professor of physical therapy; Sheelagh Schlegel, clinical associate professor of occupational therapy; and Jamie Marotto, clinical assistant professor of communication disorders.
The children they served have hearing impairment and other disabilities. SHU’s group also attended to mothers and children at an orphanage and conducted home visits to provide care for individuals who cannot travel for their health-care needs.
The students also raised enough money to pay for 14 custom-built wheelchairs for children and adults with disabilities and then assembled them at Beeline, a nonprofit facility in Guatemala. Afterward, the students taught the families proper positioning, skin care, proper transfers into and out of the chairs and safe maneuverability.
The group worked in interprofessional “pods” with students from each therapy discipline. Students prepared for their tasks with three pre-trip seminars led by faculty. “In the seminars, students explored their own cultural identities, the culture of Guatemala―especially regarding health-care practices―and the similarities and differences across their respective disciplines,” said Bowers.
Occupational therapy (OT) students and faculty on the trip implemented a capstone project “Developing Culturally Sensitive Photo-Based Programs to Ensure Sustainable OT Interventions in Guatemala.” The goal of the project was to provide culturally sensitive and sustainable care in Guatemala. A total of 33 photo-based program handouts were provided to clients and families on topics such as transfers, pressure relief, positioning, therapeutic exercises, wheelchair adjustments and play-based interventions.
For many student participants, the experience was life changing. “Everyone in Guatemala was the kindest and most grateful people I’ve ever met. Working within an interdisciplinary team taught me so much about how to communicate with others and broadened my knowledge of occupational therapy and speech-language pathology. Together as a team, we were able to provide the best possible care to our patients,” said Alyssa Mobilio, a second year doctor of physical therapy student.
According to Marotto, this experience has already influenced the future practice of each student-clinician who went on the trip. “They are not only more culturally aware, but they recognize the power of their own professional skill set and how they can greatly affect others in need,” she said.
A new group of students and staff will go to Guatemala in March of 2023.
Top: SHU students and faculty worked with Alberto Sandoval, left, and Silvia Pablo, right, of Beeline, the wheelchair distributor, during the trip. The team also partnered with Isai Mendez of IDC Missions, at left in back.