United Hearts for Health

SPRING
2014

A health partnership linking Fond du Lac, Wisconsin to Rosita Nicaragua
In this issue
Our newsletter generally focuses on the mission trips to Rosita because they are the foundation of our group. In
this issue, however, we would like to spotlight another area that is funded by your generous donations the
Rosita Emergency Fund administered by Agnesian Sr. Maurice Meis in Rosita. She uses the funds UHH sends her
for special cases that come up in her work with the local people. The following article written by her gives you an
idea of some of the ways she disperses the funds.
United Hearts for Health Helping Others
For the last 12 years United Hearts for Health has been coming to Rosita to offer their help to many sick and
needy people. Besides doing direct service to patients, they also give a quarterly fund to help people purchase
medicines that are unavailable in the free pharmacy at the Rosario Pravia Medina Hospital but can be purchased
in other pharmacies in Rosita. Also, many of the patients get transfers from the doctors in Rosita to specialists in
Managua. Below are four people among hundreds who have benefitted from these emergency funds.
Leo Cristy Prez, the youngest son of Marta Prez, is a youth of 17 who has
been struggling with non-Hodgkins lymphoma since the age of five. The funds
have helped him make regular trips to Managua for his treatments of chemo-
therapy and radiation. His mother accompanies him, and while in Managua,
she does hand washing of clothes for others in order to have a little income
while remaining in the capital. The most recent trip involved not only getting
to Managua, but then going further north to a hospital in the city of Matagalpa
that takes care of youth with cancer. Previously they had gone to the Mascota
Hospital in Managua which is for children. Over the years Leo has gotten to be
friends with many children and youth who also frequented the Mascota
Hospital. Just a couple of weeks ago he heard that another friend his age died
of cancer in the hospital in Managua. Both Leo and his mother are very
grateful for all the help they have received.
Cristina Solano is a single mother with several children who struggles daily to
put food on the table for the family. Recently she went to Managua to have a
lump removed from the top of her head. She still has pain and needs to
purchase medicine that the doctor recommended. She is very thankful there
are generous people who make it possible for her to get the needed medicine
in the pharmacies of Rosita.

Leo Cristy Perz with his mother
and Sr. Marise

Sr. Marise and Cristina Solano

United Hearts for Health Spring 2014 2

Porfirio Lpez Rosendo is another 17-year old who lives on the out-
skirts of Rosita. For four or five years he has had a problem with
serious infections on his left leg. His mother, Beatriz Rosendo,
accompanies him for his monthly appointments in Managua to see an
orthopedic doctor. He uses crutches that are now out of shape and
can no longer be adjusted making it difficult to walk. He is a third-year
student at the public high school and attends classes all day Saturday.
With the funds from United Hearts for Health, we will try to purchase
some new crutches for him in Managua.
Mother and son give thanks for making it
possible to get needed help.
Claudio Martnez is now a young man who is making adjustments to life. Several
years ago he was a candidate for a kidney transplant when an Italian Medical
Brigade was in Managua. His older sister donated one of her kidneys to her brother.
His mother, Mara Cristina Mairena, teaches in a school in Alamikamba, a
settlement town on the Rio Prinzapolka about a two-hour drive from Rosita. She is
now trying to get her pension from the Ministry of Education so she can live in
Managua with Claudio and be closer to the available medical attention he needs.
Claudio has lost his hearing, and frequently has to get different tests to check how
his kidney is doing. The medicines he needs are also very expensive. This causes much stress for the mother.
Last year he received a small 10-inch computer. He took a course to learn to use the computer, and his teacher
said he was one of the best students. Claudio now does some work for other students; they bring their memory
flash drives to him, and he copies what needs to be done. This way, charging a fee, he is able to help contribute
to the family. Claudio and his mother give thanks to the UHH fund which has helped him many times to make the
trips to Managua and get the exams and testing, besides the needed medicines.
Thanks to the generous donors of United Hearts for Health who have made available the help these people and
many others need and will continue to need in the future. Sr. Marise Meis, CSA

Claudio Martinez










Sr. Marise, with the mother of Porfirio,
and Porfirio Rosendo with his crutches
United Hearts for Health
Mission Statement
We propose to join the faith journey of Holy Family Parish in
its twinning relationship with Santa Rosa Parish by facilitating
a Fond du Lac community effort to assist in raising the stan-
dard of healthcare and promoting a more healthy environ-
ment in Rosita, Nicaragua, and the surrounding rural areas

This long-term relationship will seek to work in partnership
with the people of Rosita, its healthcare and church commu-
nity and Nicaraguan government, while recognizing the dig-
nity and the many talents of the people we hope to serve.

CHECK OUT UNITED HEARTS FOR HEALTH ONLINE!
United Hearts for Health now has a website and Facebook page maintained by Michelle Ziegelbauer. Both are
works in progress, so please check in periodically for updates. We hope to utilize these as a way to reach all
members, supporters, and the greater community on a regular basis.
Here are the links and thanks for looking!
http://www.facebook.com/UnitedHeartsforHealthFdL http://fdlunitedheartsforhealth.org/
United Hearts for Health
c/o Holy Family Parish
271 Fourth Street Way
Fond du Lac, WI 54937

Contact Numbers:
(920) 923-2446 - M. Janz
(920) 923-0155 - M. Cappellari

For suggestions and comments
or to receive your newsletter electronically,
please e-mail jcappellari@charter.net
United Hearts for Health Spring 2014 3

MEDICAL MISSION TRIP - 2014
The January 2014 medical mission trip to Rosita was my
seventh, and each one has been different. Tom Reis, MD, and I
were co-leaders again this year, and we had a great group of
doctors and nurses. All of us were pleased to be able to go to
different rural areas and see patients who have very little access
to medical care.
I was again able to see Wendy Ortiz, who is now 10 years old. I
treated her for severe asthma my first year in Rosita, and Mom
and Wendy have come back to see me each year. I am glad to
report that she is doing very well. I
was able to supply her with more
Albuterol and a new nebulizer
since her old one was not working
well. Dr. Trager had brought four new nebulizers, one for Wendy, while the rest
were distributed in the rural clinics.
The city of Rosita has more doctors now, and the citizens of Rosita have much
better access to medical care than
when this medical mission trip first
started, so we spent most of our time
seeing patients in rural areas outside
Rosita.
Our group this year included a doctor who grew up in Syria and one
in India. They had a different perspective on poverty in the third
world which was interesting for all of us to hear. Besides Dr. Ries and
myself, our group also included veterans Bill Trager, MD; Lisa
Leblanc, RN; Ruth Cunzenheim, RN; Katie Herzog, RN; and Jami
Schoenborn, RN. New missionaries were Vikas Bhatara, MD; Ayham
Chamseddin, MD; Kavita Sharma, MD; Kirsten Kroll, RN; and Linda Danor, RN; together with Kavita and Vikas
daughter Karishma. Flavio Araa, our translator and babysitter, rounded out the group. We got along very well
and worked long hours I think Karishma has a new perspective on what it is like to work in a very poor area.
We had very bad roads this year and that is from the perspective
that we always have had bad roads. As a result, we were told not
to go to some cities because of the road conditions, but we
decided to go to Wasaking anyway because they are so isolated
and rarely get medical care. Fortunately, we had a 4-wheel-drive
truck that went through a lot of one- to two-feet deep mud
puddles. Luckily, we got stuck only one time. Vikas was driving and
managed to get us through before we had to get out and push the
truck. I was very happy to get to Wasaking as this is my first time
there. Since it is a city on the other side of the river with no cars,
we carried all our supplies across the foot bridge to set up our clinic. Later at lunch we enjoyed walking back to
the river and seeing people wash clothes and dishes there and watching the kids swim and play by the water.




Dr. Chamseddin with rural clinic patients
Local women washing clothes with children
playing in the river
Typical road conditions in
January and February
Front L-R: Ruth C., Karishma V., Jami S., Lisa L., Katie H., &
Kirsten K. Back: Barb Z., Linda D., Vikas B., Kavita S., Bill T.,
Ayham C., & Tom R. See article for full names and titles.
United Hearts for Health Spring 2014 4

Some of our rural clinics this year were in old school buildings with
just chairs on which to examine patients. In one rural clinic,
doctors had to see patients outside. We took all this in stride
because our trip is about being flexible and helping people who
rarely have medical care.
I was very blessed to be able to go on this mission trip and realize
every year that I come home to more luxury than a lot of people
in the world have. I try to remind myself every day how blessed I
am to have grown up in the USA and been able to help children in
Wisconsin, Oregon, and Rosita, Nicaragua. ~Barbara Zink, MD
PREPARATION FOR 2015 MEDICAL MISSION

Preparations are under way for the next United Hearts for Health medical mission trip. With the leadership of
Doctors Tom Ries and Barbara Zink, the trip will take place February 6 - 14, 2015.

At this time supplies for the mission are being collected. Packing will take place the middle of June.

Necessary to complete the team are a couple of physicians and/or nurse practitioners, and nurses and/or a
pharmacist, all with current state licensure, certification, and passport.

Participating in a medical mission is a week of giving service to some of the poorest in Nicaragua. In exchange, as
medical mission team members from the past years have said, one receives much from those who are served.

If you have questions, contact Marcie at 920-923-2446 or rmjanz@att.net ~Marcie Janz, NP


Dr. Zink examining a patient at a rural clinic
FILTRON CLAY POT PROGRAM IN ROSITA: UPDATE

After much research and talking to Potters for Peace, it has been
decided to change the model of the program in Rosita from a
production plant to a distribution center. Since no one from United
Hearts for Health lives in Rosita to direct the ownership of the
production plant, it would be very difficult to maintain a productive
business model. As a viable alternative, a large number of Filtrons
will be trucked to Rosita from Managua. Families will receive their
first Filtron free but will pay a dollar a month, if they are able,
towards their next Filtron. This program has been implemented in
Guatemala and has been successful.

Most of the citizens of Rosita and the outlying areas continue to have
no access to clean drinking water, which is essential to improve their
health. The Filtron Clay Pots offer a safe and relatively inexpensive
way to meet this need. United Hearts for Health is committed to a
program that provides clean water to the families in some of the poorest barrios in Rosita. ~Barbara Lent, RN


At left, two Rosita women next to a clay pot.
At right, Flavio Araa, translator for UHH, and
Arely Garcia, administrator of the clay pot
program for UHH in Rosita
United Hearts for Health Spring 2014 5

MY MISSION EXPERIENCE
I am very grateful to have had the opportunity, for the first time, to
accompany the 11 other healthcare providers from United Hearts for
Health who made the mission trip to Rosita, Nicaragua, in January.
When I started the journey, I was not quite sure what to expect but
found myself extremely moved to be part of such a generous, devoted,
and organized group. I also was enlightened about the enormous
amount of preparation necessary throughout the year and for many
years prior to this. It was inspiring to see the generosity and spirit of
the members of the team who have been making this trip for many
years and of the stories of those who first began this work years ago
and who still spend a great deal of their time devoted to improving the
lives of the people of Rosita.
The generosity was apparent on our first visit to the bodega, where we
unpacked the many barrels of supplies for the clinics, schools, and Casa
Materna that are shipped from Fond du Lac months prior to our arrival. I
was impressed by the amount of organization and group effort required
to prepare for our daily trips to the clinics of Rosita or rural villages, in
addition to the devotion and enthusiasm the team displayed, making
sure they were able to provide everyone with the vitamins, acetamino-
phen, worm pills, cough syrup, antibiotics, etc. that were needed. I also
witnessed the pleasure derived when presenting children with the many
handmade gifts, toys, and clothing that are donated by many generous
people, or from playing catch, flying a kite, or running around the baseball field with the children of Rosita.
Many of us enjoyed the beautiful landscapes and truck-riding adventures of the trips to the rural clinics. These
trips also made us aware of the adversities that residents of the villages face in not only obtaining clean drinking
water, but in securing access to transportation if more advanced medical care were needed. Despite having
translators everywhere we visited, the language barrier also provided limited personal interactions with those
residents that visited the clinics.
I certainly felt welcomed by the people of Rosita; we were warmly greeted
at the airport, the Sunday church service, at the hospital, and by everyone
at the restaurant where we were served excellent meals prepared
especially to our liking. It was very touching to hear stories of Mayling,
who for many years provided previous mission teams with wonderful
meals and memories. In 2005 United Hearts for Health had arranged
necessary medical care for her in Fond du Lac, and sadly she passed away
this past year. We were able to visit her grave with her family who
expressed their appreciation for the care that she received from UHH, and
where we witnessed the love and respect that the community of Rosita had displayed for this special lady.
I was particularly touched by the group of nursing students who visited us one evening as we were dining. They
introduced themselves to each of us with hugs and kisses and shared with us that they had one more year of
nursing school. They were asking for assistance with their tuition costs of $70 to complete their education, which
is a great deal of money for them and can greatly improve their lives. I found myself comparing that we can

Ruth Cunzenheim and Barbara Zink
checking barrels shipped to Rosita with
medicine and supplies to be unpacked

Rural home with animals
sheltering underneath

Lovely rural landscape
United Hearts for Health Spring 2014 6

spend $70 on one or two bags of groceries, and we will probably discard
a good portion of that because it will not be eaten. Another testimony
of the importance of our visit to Rosita I found is that for many of the
interpreters that accompany us, the wages they receive in this one week
may be the majority of their yearly income which will provide the
support for themselves and their families.
On returning home I felt fortunate to have been part of this mission trip
and to have experienced the culture of the people of Nicaragua. I find
myself at times feeling envious of what seems to be their much less
complicated and less stressful way of life. However, I dont think that I
am envious enough though to give up my paved roads and a nice comfortable couch to experience that seemed
tranquility on a permanent basis. ~Linda Danor, RN

Help United Hearts for Health carry on our mission for the people of Rosita.
Your continued generosity will make this possible.
Thank You.

Please make your check payable to UHH/Holy Family.
Send to: United Hearts for Health, 271 Fourth Street Way,
Fond du Lac, WI 54937

Name____________________________

Address__________________________

___________________________

SUPER SPIN 2014A NEW PARTNERSHIP
The 10
th
Annual Super Spin definitely had a new focus. The Fond du Lac Family YMCA has long been a part of
Super Spin. For eight years, Super Spin was held at the YMCA, but
this year a stronger partnership with the YMCA and United Hearts
for Health was formed. Jen Memmel, Director of Membership
Development for the YMCA was the chairperson of the event. This
year funds were raised for United Hearts for Health projects but also
for health programs for Fond du Lac youth. The children of Rosita
need clean water and health care while the children of Fond du Lac
need access to wellness programs that support healthy lifestyles.
The event was led by pro-cyclist and CSCS certified endurance
specialist Jacob Mueller. He is the director for Paincave, which
offers internet-based cycle training. The participants that attended Super Spin ranged from recreational bikers
to competitive bike teams. The top fund raiser for the event was Kevin Freund. Every participant received a
goodie bag, and door prizes were awarded during the event. Over $17,000 was raised for Rosita health care and
YMCA childrens programs. Everyone that attended the event enjoyed the high level of intensity and the
wonderful power bars, cheese, and snacks. ~Barbara Lent, RN

Rosita Run for the local children set
up by UHH

Super Spin 2014 featuring Paincave