A week before classes resumed after winter break, 27 students and 14 adults left for Honduras carrying suitcases filled with 1.5 tons of medicine.
Working through the Honduran humanitarian organization Sociedad Amigos de los Niños, Marquette Global Medical Relief traveled to Honduras for its fifth year as a group to provide medical aid to rural villages in Honduras.
Since 2003 Global Medical Relief has traveled to Honduras twice a year, once over winter break and once during spring break, said Toby Peters, associate vice president for administration, who has been an adviser for the group since its start and has participated in five trips.
This break's group consisted of students, faculty, medical professionals, dentists and others. The group treated about 1,700 patients, Peters said.
"We go to Honduras not only to address medical needs but also to provide an emotional lift to those we see," he said. "The people we see are so welcoming and grateful for us being there. They enjoy the fact that somebody cares enough to come from the United States to try to help them."
When the Marquette group first started organizing trips with the SAN program, it was the first university to formally offer the trip, Peters said.
"Now between 30 and 40 other universities follow our model," he said.
In 2003, medical relief treated about 5,000 patients in Honduras annually. Now about 50,000 patients are treated annually, according to Peters.
In villages, students, doctors and dentists set up medical clinics where they catalog the health information of each patient and treat them. Every patient receives parasite medication and a one to two month supply of vitamins. Every child receives a toy after his or her treatment, Peters said.
Students also check the blood pressure and blood sugar of every patient over age 35. Doctors give patients general health checks and treat them for colds, respiratory problems, pain, infections, rashes, heartburn and other ailments.
Dentists give check-ups and extract teeth. The dentists extracted more than 300 teeth on this trip. After the dental treatment, every patient receives toothpaste and a toothbrush, Peters said.
College of Health Sciences senior Ryan Hayes, who attended his third trip this January, said he felt playing with the kids was one of the best parts of his daily duties.
"The kids down there are amazing, they're so happy and so grateful for your attention," he said. "The overall goal is to improve the quality of health care in Honduras, with the ultimate goal of breaking the cycle of poverty."
College of Health Sciences senior Ebba Hjertstedt has gone on four trips and said on this trip she realized the changes the groups have made.
"The first time I went there we saw loads of alcoholics and malnourished children," she said. "This time it was mainly medicine for coughs and colds, and there weren't as many extreme cases. There is so much that needs to be done, it's a pretty impacting experience."
The trip costs about $1,600 per person. Each student pays about $800 toward the trip and fundraise year-round to make up the difference and raise money for medicines, Peters said.
This year 150 students applied for the 30 spots. About 10 of those spots are held for returning students.
Next, the relief group is hoping to help SAN in its introduction of new engineering and business opportunities. Projects are to include creating micro businesses and building water purification systems in communities. One completed water purification system has already made a big difference in the community's health, Peters said.
"In that community we now see 180 people, five years ago we saw 500," he said. "The same number still live there, just less people need help."