Location: Barillas, Huehuetenango, Guatemala
Population served: 200,000
Description: Dr. Leeon Aller of Snohomish, Washington first started coming here to Centro Medico Bethesda in the early 90's when the civil war was still ongoing. Soon after that, Peggy Tuttle started serving as the field director. She has worked with CMB over the past 15 years. Many U.S. volunteer medical teams have come to the clinic to help the poor and perform surgeries through her efforts.
Xeroderma Pigmentosum is a rare genetic disease. There is only one place on the planet earth where a cluster of children have this disease. Sadly for the people of these mountains in remote Guatemala, that place is here. The XP children are born without the ability to repair damage to their skin caused by UV radiation of the sun. If they have the condition and are continually exposed to the sun, they will die from cancer in a few years. Peggy founded Good Samaritan International a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping the poor. GSI takes needed medical supplies, equipment, and medical teams into these remote villages.
In addition to the special needs of the XP children, the clinic tries to meet the medical needs of the surrounding poplulation of Kanjobal Mayans. They are poor villagers living in harsh mountain conditions, far from any major towns.
Current Needs: Everything! Medical supplies, money, medical personnel
Contact information:
Donations are U.S tax-deductible to:
Note: Make checks payable to Good Samaritan International