Over spring break, undergraduate and graduate students in the Physical Therapy (PT) program at Sacred Heart University traveled to Guatemala for a service trip. In preparation for the trip, a “SHU” Drive was held on Monday, Feb. 27 through Thursday, Feb. 29 where students were able to donate shoes to be given to the adults and children in need, on the trip.
Source: Linda Higgins, Sacred Heart University
Source: Caleb Jean-Pierre, Staff Photographer
“While on our service week, we often see people in our PT clinics, the schools where we provide services, and on home visits who need better shoes. Sometimes inadequate footwear is contributing to their musculoskeletal problems,” said Dr. Donna Bowers, Associate Dean of the College of Health Professions and clinical professor who led the trip.
Two groups headed to Guatemala, one PT group being led by Bowers and Dr. Leigh Ronald, Associate Director of Clinical Education. The other group is a mix of pre-professional students and an occupational therapy (OT) graduate student, led by Sheelagh Schlegel, Clinical Associate Professor of OT. Each group did different things on the trip but traveled together.
“The total group is 16. There were three faculty, one staff (Elizabeth Gomez, Assistant Director of Global Health), and 12 students from PT, OT, nursing, pre-PT, and one undecided student,” said Prof. Christina Gunther who is the Chair of the Department of Health Sciences.
There were guidelines to be able to sign up and go on this trip, “Only students in the Doctor of Physical Therapy program were eligible to apply. For the social determinants of health group that Dr. Schlegel is leading, any major was invited to apply,” said Gunther.
The students and faculty went in hopes of making an impact on the community through various events being held. The two groups went their separate ways once they arrived, aiming to achieve the most they could in the week they were there.
“The physical therapy group held free community clinics, conducted home visits for patients who are housebound, and built wheelchairs with funds they raised for people in need. Dr. Schlegel’s group assisted an orphanage, a hospital shelter, and a nursing home. They also visited a few homebound patients in need of occupational therapy services and assisted with one of the PT community clinics,” said Gunther.
This trip is held annually by Sacred Heart students, and they fund the trips themselves. Not only do they provide themselves with travel expenses but also supplies and equipment to be able to provide the proper care.
This mission trip is done in Guatemala for many reasons, one of those is the fact that they have such limited access to physical therapy, especially in the towns and cities the groups travel to. Students travel to local schools and homes to ask citizens if they need any assistance.
“I would be so excited for the chance to go and help people in need. The missions sounded very interesting, and I need to look more into them,” said junior Kyle Jusas. “Guatemala is a beautiful place, and I am glad to be a part of a community like Sacred Heart whose students are willing to go into their own pockets to help others. Meeting new people and being able to help them would be such an amazing feeling so no doubt I would consider doing this if I was in the program.”
Since 2010, more than 250 nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, and speech-language pathology students and faculty have gone and have helped over 8,000 individuals through programs like these.
