- Weddings with Grace is a wedding planing company located in South Florida. My name is Jessica and I am the Image Director for the company. This past summer, I spent time living and working in Quetzaltenango, Guatemala. I worked at the Hospital Regional de Occidente in a clinic for people with HIV/AIDS as well as in the general hospital in the psychology department. I got to meet many amazing people and it was an incredible experience. I also saw great need. Guatemala is unfortunately a very poor country where people live in true poverty. This affects people’s healthcare, and many people end up losing their lives when they would not have to if they had more access to life-saving technologies. Because of this, at Weddings with Grace we are thinking about starting a foundation to help the people of Guatemala.
I met a little girl who cannot get the chemotherapy she needs because her mom does not feel she has the financial resources to transfer her to the hospital where she would receive treatment.
I have seen a baby who could not move her hand but the mother cannot know why this is because the tests her daughter needs are too expensive. Her daughter could have serious cognitive or neurological problems but because the tests cannot be done, there is no way to possibly know.
I met an 18-month old baby whose parents need financial help for their son to get the kidney surgery he needs in the capital, Guatemala city, which is about five hours away from where they live.
These are just a small sampling of the many stories of amazing people who need help in Guatemala to remain or get healthy.