Little Rock surgeons return from providing medical care in Guatemala

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – A group of doctors have returned this week from performing surgeries in Guatemala.

A team of 18, including three surgeons, packed their suitcases full of medical equipment and went to Guatemala for a week. Now they’re back after performing 61 operations in four days.

“I think some of those would have to travel two or three hours,” surgeon John Jones said. “Some would walk just to get to the hospital because there was no other way to get medical care.”

Pulaski Heights Methodist Church in Little Rock sponsored the surgeons so they could go off to another country and change lives.

Denise Johnson is one of the team leaders. She said she starts planning and gathering donations from hospitals like St. Vincents as early as February so they have what they need once they get down there. They then set up in a private hospital, working with a nonprofit called Salud y Paz.

She said the list of people needing care is what keeps them coming back every year.

“Every year I think what if this is our last year. And then I look around — and these people don’t have access to surgical care,” Johson said, “We’re not going to leave anyone on a list if we can help it.”

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