Saturday, February 8, 2025

Belize Mission Project medical services benefit thousands of islanders

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A team of specialists from the United States, part of the Belize Mission Project (BMP), provided free medical services in San Pedro Town, Ambergris Caye, from January 20th to 24th. They were joined by local volunteers and specialists offering medical, audiology, and dental clinics.
Founded by Dr. Frank Whipps, the Belize Mission Project has served communities in Belize for over 30 years. This year’s clinics were held across three facilities on the island. Courtney McFarlin, the director of BMP, explained that the medical team was stationed at Holy Cross Anglican Primary School, the dental group was at the San Pedro Lions Den, and the audiologists saw patients at Sagebrush Church. Additionally, the audiologists spent some time providing services in Belize City.
McFarlin noted that this year, the project provided over US$20,000 worth of hearing aids for those who needed them. She also mentioned that several thousand dollars worth of medication and dental services benefited the many islanders who attended the clinics.
McFarlin noted that the dentists at the Lions Den were occupied with walk-in patients and listed the various dental services offered. “The dental team did fillings, extraction, cleaning, and partial dentures,” she said. “We have several doctors in the team that have been coming to Belize on this project for over 20 years to provide these services. We are happy to say that we have a lot of people that are very committed to Belize and the Belizean people.” McFarlin mentioned that throughout the week, there was a steady flow of people visiting various stations and taking advantage of the services offered.

Islander and former Miss San Pedro 2022-2023, Faith Edgar, and Jorge Mauricio Pleitez joined the BMP team at the Lions Den. Edgar is currently studying dentistry in the United States, and these practical sessions are crucial for her education in this field. Meanwhile, Pleitez is a dentist who completed his studies in Merida, Yucatan, Mexico.

In addition to providing medical services, the BMP team distributed t-shirts, toys, coloring books, toy packs, toothbrushes, and toothpaste to children. They also conducted brief educational sessions, advising patients on healthy habits. Attendees of the dental clinic were informed about the importance of proper tooth brushing at least twice a day and encouraged to have dental checkups twice a year.
The BMP team looks forward to returning in 2026 and extends their gratitude to everyone supporting the project. They highlighted the presence of the Honorable Kevin Bernard, Minister of Health and Wellness, who visited the clinics on Wednesday, January 22nd. McFarlin praised his assistance in enabling the team to travel to Belize with all the necessary clinic supplies and equipment. The specialists also expressed their appreciation to the Amigos del Mar dive shop for donating scuba tanks, which powered their dental units.

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