August Newsletter updated for E-news

NEWSLETTER AUGUST 2021 IN THIS EDITION From the Executive Director Check out the Healthcare Dear Friend of San Lucas, Program's use of tele-health to treat Have you ever found yourself telling a familiar story that you have told patients dozens of times, and you start telling it a little bit differently? You emphasize some aspects more and leave out other parts. It is still the same story, just Take a look at the from a slightly different viewpoint. Charity with Dignity Program's efforts in The story of the Mission is one of those stories. And one of the aspects of the San Lucas and find story of of the Mission that has sometimes been neglected, is the role that out how you can help the School Sisters of Notre Dame played in the founding and development of major Mission programs. Without the School Sisters, the school, the Get the details on healthcare program, the nutrition program and the orphanage would not our annual Mankato have had the life-changing impact that they had. Gala and find out how to register today At the Mankato Gala on October 9th, we will focus on honoring and celebrating the School Sisters and their remarkable legacy that has stood the test of time and continues to this day. We will be joined by 4 of the sisters at the Gala and also at the conference preceding it. Please join us for either or both events and help us honor their faithful work. Hope to see you there! Bill Peterson Executive Director Friends of San Lucas

The Healthcare Program pivots to tele-health during pandemic Through the Visitor Program, volunteer The ability to see and discuss the Dr. Tun has identified new patients groups of surgeons and healthcare patient in real-time allowed them to in need of consultation and providers travel to San Lucas Tolimán adapt his care in a way that would not provides follow-up for established (SLT) to assist with patient care and have been possible otherwise. The patients. He is able to answer surgeries. They are committed to the U.S. team planned to return in August questions and provide reassurance most effective means of patient care 2020 to continue their work, but their of the U.S. team's promise to return and support the MIssion's Healthcare trip was postponed due to the to complete the care that they Program and its Director, Dr. Rafael Tun. pandemic. Their rescheduled trip in started with their patients. Dr. Tun, February 2021 was cancelled, as well. his staff, and interpreters facilitate The first trip for volunteer plastic biweekly meetings in order to surgeons to SLT took place in August connect with the U.S. team and 2019. The second trip, in February discuss tele-health and healthcare 2020 was used to complete second strategies. stages of care on established patients from the August 2019 trip, and to This connection has allowed U.S. initiate care on new patients. Dr. Tun based surgeons to organize worked diligently to keep the U.S. educational sessions for the volunteers informed regarding patient Mission's staff and to support the follow-up. incredible men and women in San Lucas. Accessibility to and Only three weeks after the February During the course of the video visits advancements in video visit, an established patient with Dr. Tun, it became apparent that technology have pushed tele- developed a wound after an ear while U.S. doctors could not be health forward during a time that reconstruction. This was also the time physically present for their patients, patients could not safely see during which the U.S. began its they could still connect with them. As physicians in person. By applying shutdown in response to the COVID-19 a result, a tele-health initiative has been this to work in San Lucas, the bar for pandemic. Thanks to Dr. Tun’s diligent a natural extension of international patient care and continuity has been patient care and communication, the efforts. raised and the Mission Healthcare wound was identified and the U.S. Program has reached a new team provided virtual consultation. standard for international medical This began a tele-health initiative that volunteerism. would have a massive impact on SLT. Through Dr. Tun’s experience and capable hands, the collective team was able to examine the patient and establish a first rudimentary implementation of tele-medicine, despite the distance between the patient and U.S. volunteer surgeons. They continued video visits until the wound was healed and the patient was cleared to go back to his normal life of school and soccer games. You can be a part of the change by making your gift today.

Charity with Dignity Digs Deep Meet Josué, a 13-year-old boy who was born with Down Syndrome. Josué has had problems with his lungs since he was born and has become a familiar patient at the San Lucas Mission Hospital. Josué is the youngest of six children. His parents, Alex and Florinda, have always tried to give Josué the best possible care and resources, but it has been very difficult. When he was younger, Josué attended physical and speech therapy to assist him with walking and talking. About six years ago, the family came to the Mission for financial aid to help cover the cost of his medicine for his lungs. Three months ago, Josué was diagnosed with Leukemia. They have to travel to a specific cancer treatment center every 12 days for Josué to receive his treatment. The Charity with Dignity program is assisting with their travel costs to get to and from his appointments. Josué’s father takes him to his appointments while his mother sells fruits and vegetables in the market to pay for food for the family. Even under all of this stress, the family is so grateful for the help they receive from the Charity program. It is so difficult to address every case. In the last month, we have found 5 or 6 cases like this one. People have a lot of hope in the Mission, but like any institution, we have limitations, as there are 84 families we help financially and many more need support. - Emi Tun, Director of Charity with Dignity Will you make a difference for families waiting for help? Give today at sanlucasmission.org Sandra (pictured center) is a bright 17-year-old girl. She plays soccer for her school’s team. Long before the pandemic, her mother Isabel (pictured left), requested a project for a house. Last year, the family’s situation worsened as Sandra’s father could not find work and they could not pay the rent. The Charity and Construction programs were able to give the family their new house and they were very happy. A few months ago, Sandra began to have a fever and severe stomach pains. Dr. Tún performed some lab tests at the Mission hospital and saw that the problem was very complicated and sent Sandra to receive tests outside of San Lucas. Sandra’s kidneys were severely damaged, and she was admitted to the hospital in Sololá. For three days, she was in a coma. Sandra’s condition requires her to receive dialysis every week, and the family has to travel to her treatment by bus at 2:00am to make it on time. It costs about Q350.00 ($45 USD) per week to make the trip. The Charity program is helping the family with financing their travels so Sandra can continue to make her appointments.

Friends of San Lucas Mankato Gala and Virtual Conference We are very pleased to announce the Friends of San Lucas Mankato Gala taking place Saturday, October 9th at the Mayo Clinic Health System Event Center (Mankato Civic Center) in Mankato, In its first year without U.S. visitors, the San Lucas Mission continued to build houses and stoves, treat patients, teach students, feed the elderly and vulnerable, buy and sell coffee and touch the lives of over 20,000 people. Join us to learn about their landmark accomplishments serving people experiencing poverty. Your attendance provides meaningful support for the Mission employees and the San Lucas community. We will have a dinner, a silent and live auction and discover what it has been like in San Lucas as the Mission has continued to serve the people with creativity, compassion and grace. New this year will be a virtual conference during the day on Saturday which will offer short sessions on how to lead a group to travel to the Mission, the history of the Mission, the challenges and rewards of international development work and other topics There will be a $130,000 matching grant in place for this event. All gifts up to a total of $130,000 will be doubled! Our goal is to raise $260,000 in support of Mission programming. Register today at sanlucasmission.org. Plan Your 2022 Visit Thank You to Our Tulsa Golf Fundraiser Supporters to San Lucas The Visitor Program is accepting applications for visits in 2022. Start planning your visit today. Have questions? Contact our Director of Visitor Program, Kristal Sawatzke at [email protected] E-Newsletter On July 18th and 19th, members of the FOSL and Christ the King Parish in Tulsa, OK came together during the first Have you considered signing annual Tulsa Golf Fundraiser, and raised over $110,000 to up for our e-newsletter? You'll support the Mission! get all of the same content via email and the cost of printing and mailing your Newsletter will be used for your favorite San Lucas Mission programs. Visit sanlucasmission.org to designate your e-newsletter preference. Thank you for your generosity supporting the San Lucas Mission Friends of San Lucas | 3459 Washington Dr. #207, Eagan, MN 55122 | sanlucasmission.org