Posted: 3/27/07
Brownsville women help deliver eye care to Peru
By Jane Palen
Managing Editor
In an orphanage outside of Lima, Peru, a large crowd gathers. There are infants and there are elderly people, and every age in between. They all wait patiently for hours simply to have their eyes examined by a group of volunteers from the United States. Among the volunteers are two women from Brownsville, Jill Mullen and Judy Gantenbein. They and optometric technician Linda Benjamin were led by Dr. Steve La Liberte on the mission to Peru February 17-25. The trip was supported by the Diocese of La Crosse and local Lions Clubs. The Diocese maintains the orphanage where the clinics were held, Casa Hogar Juan Pablo II.
Gantenbein and Mullen said that they were asked to make the trip after two others who committed to it were unable to go.
Both agree that it was a life-changing experience, and despite the long hours of hard work, each would eagerly return.
Mullen was referred to as "Dr. Jill" because as a certified opthamalic technician and eye surgery technician, she was able to give eye exams and check prescriptions. Gantenbein and Benjamin, who are optometric technicians, ran the dispensary which was stocked with eyeglasses collected by the Lions. With volunteers from other health care facilities, the team numbered 18 people.
Their first day in Peru started at about 9 a.m. when the group began setting up the registration process. Patients were seen that day from 1-9 p.m. On the succeeding days, patients were seen from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. and from 2 p.m. to 6:30 or 7:30 p.m. And there was never a lull.
"If you have to go the bathroom, you run for it," said Mullen.
Gantenbein added, "They run to the tent to sign up, then wait half a day just to see us."
Despite exhaustion from being on their feet all day and seeing patients non-stop, seeing the long lines of people waiting to get their eyes checked gave them the energy to keep going.
"We did the fastest comprehensive eye exams we could do," said Mullen. Their record was 670 eye exams in a single day.
Certain eye problems were fairly common in the patients they saw in Peru, including a condition known as pterygium, which is common in dry, sandy areas. Tissue grows over the eye to protect it from the elements, and vision is compromised.
Two patients that Mullen and Gantenbein remember vividly were a mother and her three-year old son, both with congenital cataracts. The cataracts had been removed, but the lens covering the eye had not been replaced. They held a lens up to the three year oldís eyes, and he was so excited about seeing clearly for the first time that he grabbed their hands as they drew them away. Another memorable patient was an 85 year old who got glasses for the very first time.
Although not all situations were so dramatic, all the patients were excited about having their eyes examined and there were lots and lots of hugs and kisses.
The volunteers also picked up a phrases in Spanish during their trip. They did have the services of an interpreter during their stay a well.
Mullen and Gantenbein used their vacation time to go on the trip, and were also responsible for their own expenses. Again, the Lions came through. Clubs in Brownsville, Caledonia and Eitzen donated funds to cover transportation expenses.
All told, the eye care mission delivered goods and services valued at $415,125 for only $32,068. A total of 2,200 pairs of glasses were given out to those who otherwise would not have been able to afford them.
Dr. La Liberte is now working on bringing eye surgery equipment, eye surgeons, and operating room staff to Peru to perform the operations not now available. There is a great need among the population there for cataract surgery, Mullen noted.
Both Mullen and Gantenbein plan to return to Peru in two years to once again deliver vision care to the poor. And while the work they accomplished there this year made an impact on many lives, itís likely that there will be long lines once again for something most of us take for grantedóan eye exam.
Caledonia Argus
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507/724-3475
E-Mail: editor.argus@ecm-inc.com