Tuesday, December 29, 2009

ROMP Volunteer Posts to You Tube

Joseph Krizinauskas, O&P technician and two-time ROMP volunteer in Guatemala, recently posted a beautiful video about his experience working in Guatemala in July 2009. Please check out Joseph's video HERE.

Joseph, thanks for your hard work in Guatemala and for sharing your great photos in this video.

David Krupa

Monday, December 21, 2009

A day of donations...

It's always an exciting day when we get to go the ROMP storage facility in Hickory Hills, IL in order to go through and process all the awesome donated equipment waiting in piles and boxes for us! We do this every couple of months, and I hope you can appreciate how exciting it is to see the return addresses on boxes sent from all over the country. Last week, Dave Krupa, Greg Krupa and I spent the day stripping and organizing components. We received tons of donations of equipment from all over the place, so thank you:



Scheck and Siress Prosthetics and Orthotics in Chicago, IL
Michael Smerka (my old classmate) and Hanger P&O in New York, NY
Jessica Drake and OmniCare Labs in Effingham, Il
Fionna Quinn and Hanger P&O in New York, NY
Malcolm Owen and Endolite in Centerville, OH
Stephen Schulte and Prosthetic Care Inc. in Suanee, GA
Ed Roman and Merrick-Hopkins Prosthetics in Chicago, IL
Leslie Allen and Allen Orthopedic Labs in Greenbrae, CA
Northwestern University P & O Center in Chicago, IL


..and many, many others who donated anonomously (or we couldn't read the label). In addition to the donations from the facilities that collect used prosthetic limbs, we also love receiving donations from individuals who care enough to pack up and send us devices to be used in Guatemala. This past week, we were all moved by the note we found inside of a donated spinal brace used to correct scoliosis:





So thanks Allie, and all those who send us your donations. We rely on this, and appreciate it very much.







We're all in it together.

Eric Neufeld 12/20/09

Thursday, November 5, 2009

Northwestern Students in Guatemala BLP7

From October 23 to October 31 the first group of O&P students from Northwestern University came to Guatemala! Three orthotic and three prosthetic students. We are starting to expand the services that ROMP offers to guatemalans by providing more orthotic care. During the week 6 KAFOs, 4 AFOs, 1 FO, 1 UCB, Fracture brace and some arm orthosis were provided. It was a great feeling to be able to help all our patients and to give the students the opportunity to practice, to fabricate and to give a hand to people who otherwsie have no access to orthotic and prosthetic care. I hope that more students feel inspired to come down to Guatemala, to work hard, to be creative, to get tons of smiles from our patients and to be part of ROMP!






Daniela Duran Krupa

Tuesday, November 3, 2009

ROMP First Upper Extremity Clinic




ROMP carried out its first upper extremity clinic in Guatemala thanks to a significant donation by the Berkowitz Family Foundation. The ROMP clinic in Zacapa celebrated its fourth anniversary this October. For four years we have been visited by numerous patients with arm amputations. Unfortunately, we have never been able to consistantly provide upper extremity prostheses due to a lack of parts. In four years we have only delivered two arm prostheses. Until this October. We saw seven upper extremity patients and by the end of last week delivered 5 prostheses. The other two patients never returned for their fittings but they will be scheduled for future appointments. Thanks to the Berkowitz Family Foundation donation we now have a fully stocked inventory of upper extremity components. It was shocking to see so many arm amputations due to machete attacks and electrical burns. Wives attacked by husbands and a young man attacked and robbed leaving his work. ROMP will continue to expand its upper extremity services but we need more donations aimed directly at this project. Spread the word and help us meet this great need in Guatemala.






Dave

Monday, November 2, 2009

October 2009 FIRST GROUP


I would like to commend all of the volunteers who came to Guatemala from Oct 16-25 for a job well done. The team worked countless hours with dozens of patients. They were at times up against language barriers, oppressive heat, rapidly approaching deadlines and the chaos of the work week. In spite of the challenges, the volunteers of HIM/ROMP OCT 2009 dedicated themselves to the tasks at hand with an enthusiasm captured in the smiles contained within this photo. It was an honor to work with you all in Guatemala. You changed the lives of many Guatemalans and your efforts will long be remembered. Hope to see you all again very soon.


Dave

Saturday, October 31, 2009

Two Weeks in October

I am in Antigua now. The last two weeks I've been at the clinic in Zacapa with two seperate volunteer groups. The first week we worked with more than 30 new prosthetic patients. This was ROMP's first official upper extremity clinic and we provided 6 new prosthetic arms with specific funding from some of our donors. During the week photographer Marc Altman captured the essence the ROMP mission in Guatemala. I encourage everyone to visit his own blog HERE. The second week of work we hosted the first group of recently graduated O&P students from Northwestern University. We hope that this trip with Northwestern was just the first of many to come.

Wednesday, September 16, 2009

ROMP Staff Guatemala Participates in Local Parade


Recently, the clinic staff in Zacapa, Guatemala participated in a local parade to create more awareness of the services that ROMP offers in Guatemala. Luis' minibus was decorated with the ROMP logo and prosthetic limbs were displayed for the vehicle's roof while the staff waved to the crowds of observers. This is just one more reminder to the people of Guatemala that ROMP is an integral and lasting part of their community. Furthermore, our staff is proud of what they do and this was a great chance for them to be recognized for their hard work.

Friday, September 11, 2009

July 2009 volunteer photos

Check out a nice compilation of ROMP Volunteer Team July 2009 photos. Posted by team member Kelsey Hooker.


Monday, August 31, 2009

Malnutrition in Guatemala - THE SAD FACTS

As ROMP enters its fifth year working in Guatemala the situation for many of the country's poor has only gotten worse. In a recent article in the August 29th edition of The Economist it was reported that "almost half of Guatemala's children are chronically malnourished - the sixth-worst performance in the world." A more disturbing fact revealed in the article is that although Guatemala is wealthy enough to prevent this malnutrition the political will of its leaders is lacking. As a point to ponder, people with disabilities in Guatemala are at a far greater risk of falling into the cycle of poverty. An amputee without a prosthesis is one more mother or father unable to support their family. In a country where the systemic problems of disability, poverty and malnutrition pervade we need to do all we can to help. Amputees in Guatemala remain disabled because of they do not have a prosthesis, not because they are missing a limb. We cannot take every child in Guatemala out of poverty, adequately feed and clothe them. However, the ROMP clinic in Zacapa can at least help Guatemalans with disabilities stand up and fight on two feet.

For the article on Malnutrition in Guatemala read The Economist (click here)

Monday, August 17, 2009

The Massacre of the Rats (WARNING GRAPHIC IMAGES)


Now, just because this blog is all about non-profit humanitarian work for people with disabilities in various places like Guatemala doesn't mean that it has to be all seriousness all the time. With that preface I'd like to introduce you to the newest ROMP project in Guatemala. ROMP - Rats Overtly Massacred Project. There is a problem in the clinic. A rodent problem to be exact. Well, HAD a problem to be specific. No longer will these mammals defecate on precious prosthetic supplies and use prosthetic socks as nesting materials. The war is on and I say to the rats....BRING IT.

Maribel writing with her arm


An image of Maribel writing a letter to the ROMP July team. Pretty powerful stuff.

Friday, August 14, 2009

ROMP Team July 2009


A group of volunteers made quite the impact in Guatemala. The team included two physiatrists, a physical therapist, an occupational therapist, two physical therapy students, a prosthetic/orthotic technician, prosthetist and support staff including translators. We were able to fabricate 19 new prosthetic limbs, a bunch of custom orthotic devices and carried out important lab improvments. What impressed me the most was ho well we worked and lived together as a team. Perhaps it was one of the most tight-knit groups to volunteer with ROMP in Guatemala. This experience was as unforgettable for the team as it was for the numerous Guatemalans that we served. Maribel was one of our patients for the week. She was attacked by her ex-husband with a machete and both of her hands were cut off. This woman is determination personified. She worked diligently at the end of the week to control her new prosthesis (the second arm is in the works). Julie, the OT, helped her along and thirty minutes before we wrapped up the work for the week Maribel wrote this letter.

"Estoy muy agradecido, mucho con Ustedes. Espero volverlos a ver muy pronto. Gracias"
"I am very thankful, with all of you. I hope to to see you all very soon. Thank you."

That was the greatest gift of all.