April 2025 - University Partnerships, Veterinary Concerns, and Health Screening
Linda Kennedy led a trip focused on partnering with a university, veterinary concerns related to large animals, cervical cancer, screening students’ vision, and more. She was joined by veterinarian Brad Taylor and physician’s assistant Sue Burgos. Geovanny “Geo” Parades joined from Honduras as a driver and interpreter.
The team met with the leadership of Universidad Tecnológica de Honduras (UTH) in El Progresso, a private university that provides accessible full- or part-time education to Hondurans around the country. The meeting explored opportunities to collaborate in a manner that would make university training accessible to people living in and around El Rosario. Both parties look forward to continuing discussions.
Brad Taylor DVM led discussion with the farming committee on the screwworm outbreak across Central America. Screwworm is a fatal fly maggot that can impact all warm blooded mammals (including humans); unfortunately, Yoro’s stock of livestock products for fly control are dangerous, expensive, and bad for the environment. ACTS, and the local farming committee, will investigate cooperative buying of an anti-parasite livestock product to get better pricing.
Over an exciting weekend, two sets of health providers from San Pedro Sula arrived with equipment and colleagues to set up and deliver valuable screening, for free. The lively collaboration used spaces throughout the community and local leaders calmly provided access, hospitality, and their typically excellent coordination. Our collaborating Honduran providers were:
Dra. Glenda Almendares, manager of Laser Vision, a state-of-the-art eye center in San Pedro Sula, who brought staff and equipment for a full day vision screening program. The team examined 100 children and 10 adults, provided eye drops, prescriptions for glasses, and goodies for the children.
Dra. Suyapa Bejarano with three physicians working with PESCA (her volunteer cancer screening organization) held a cervical cancer screening event; in total, they screened 144 women, finding several “positives” requiring further follow up at a cancer treatment center in San Pedro Sula.
Dr. Bejarano (with laptop) coordinated cervical screening for 148 women at the Joyce Baker Clinic in El Rosario.
(Left to right) Sue Burgos, Nelson Mejia, Ronis Martinez, and Geo Parades inspecting a novel water trough supplied by a natural spring on the mountain above.
Gloria Hernandez dreamed of attending the colegio and by moving in with relatives in a nearby community, she can get transportation to school.
Brad Taylor (back row with glasses) met with the farming leadership and evaluated options for medication available at the local farm store.
Faculty from UTH met with 80 people interested in learning about options to attend university; here they are warming up the crowd with a game.
Jessica and her mother proudly posed with the adorable triplets, now about a year old.
