The Clinica Maxeña continues to grow with patients, needs, expectations, and JOY!
It was founded in 1966 by myself and another Register Nurse, Emma Jean Reis of Montana. We were young, inexperienced and the area was very impoverished with no medical facilities to speak of for miles. Patients came in carried, strapped to chairs, usually dying from malnutrition or Tuberculosis. Our budget was small, we had sample medicines and little equipment. Now more than forty years later, we are well respected by Health officials and doctors in the area, patients prefer us, and we offer quality care with compassion. Our services are for the most poor and many patients cannot pay the minimal cost of doctor consult of 2 dollars. We have 30 employees which include medical personell, accountants, maintenance, kitchen employees, and a Medicinal Plant Clinic with Mayan alternative medicine. We are a catholic parish clinic, founded by the Diocese of Helena Montana, when the Bishop of Montana responded to the call to send missionaries to LATIN AMERICA.
Our needs grew, and our friends responded. The Clinic diagnostic services began with a donated microscope to identify parasite eggs. Our Laboratory now employs a dedicated Laboratory Technologist with over 25 years experience in the government hospital lab and two lab technicians. We are able to diagnose AIDS, Malaria, Diabetes, Dengue, Typhoid, and perform all the routine laboratory tests. We are able to type and cross and administer blood products. We have a new electrocardiogram machine and we soon hope to purchase a portable ultrasound machine. With this expansion of service and increase of patients the laboratory outgrew its space in the Clinica Maxeña. fortunately we has a small building that has been home to many different projects over the years. Last year the mountain clinic project, which had been part of the Clinica Maxeña for five years, became independent and moved to new quarters in town. We remodeled this building with a donation from the Diocese of Helena and yesterday had a small celebration with the Clinic personell, music and cake to initiate our new Laboratory.
Thank YOU for your continued support to our work with the Mayan population in Guatemala.
