Topic: College of Sciences and Humanities
March 6, 2007
Eight Ball State students will spend their Spring Break providing medical care and public health education to rural areas of Guatemala.
From March 10-17, the group will work with medical professionals and with the Guatemala-based Pop-Wuj Association to provide assistance to rural areas of the country during the trip organized by the Indianapolis-based Timmy Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the availability of quality health care to children around the world.
The students gain hands-on experience in the medical field, as well as a new outlook on international poverty and culture, said Clare Chatot, a Ball State biology professor and the faculty adviser for the Timmy Foundation.
"They often come back telling me what a life-changing experience it was," Chatot said.
The eight-day service trip is much more than a vacation to a foreign country, said Matthew LaFlash, president of the Ball State Chapter of the Timmy Foundation and a senior from Middletown.
"I expect to gain a sense of making a difference, however small it may be," LaFlash said. "Through working to help others, I expect to return a better person with an understanding of the developing world. The foundation provides an excellent opportunity to grow as an individual while working to make a difference in the lives of those in greatest need."
In addition to LaFlash, other students participating on the trip are:
- Eric Butler, a junior from Richmond
- Kendra Curless, a junior from Sweetser
- Sarah Henkes, a senior from Fort Wayne
- Rachel King, a freshman from Muncie
- Angela Rorick, a freshman from Seymour
- Stevi Waggoner, a sophomore from Martinsville
While in Guatemala, the students will distribute donated items, including over-the-counter medications and personal hygiene items collected recently at Ball State. Donations are still being accepted. For more information or to donate, contact LaFlash at (765) 635-5764 or send an e-mail to timmy@bsu.edu.
Suggested donations include: acetaminophen, aspirin, ibuprofen, vitamins, cough medicine, cold and sinus medicine, diphenhydramine and other antihistamines, antacids, topical ointments, soap, shampoo, toothbrushes, toothpaste, lotions, bandages, gauze pads, eye drops, alcohol pads, disposable gloves, sandwich and freezer bags, hand sanitizer and thermometers.
While students have received some financial donations from their hometown businesses and churches, the majority of the travel costs are being paid out of pocket, LaFlash said.
For more information about the Timmy Foundation, go to www.timmyfoundation.org.
By Kim Jackson