The February surgeries have been completed! Thanks to the participation of the surgical team and the support staff, thus far there have been no complications. It was a wonderful job done by a great group of people. There are new babies with the cleft defect every time we have our consultations. As some of you learned at our Informe, it is not only one surgery needed, but a series of reconstructive surgeries. With out the support of all the members of the IFC, this could never take place. We radically change the lives of “our kids”.

Our Informe was well attended and well done. The slide presentation given by Dr. Alberto Mora

and translated by Patricia Mendez helped many of us to further understand the many ways our surgeons, children, their parents and our support staff work together for the best outcome possible.

Surgery was again a commitment of assistance between the Regional Hospital staff, who prepared all the sterile equipment needed, and the CMQ Hospital who donated their surgical suite, nursing staff, and patient rooms. All other supplies were purchased with the club funds prior to the surgeries and transported by Global Ambulance Service that day.

Our next program will be the last week of May, a slight change due to the vacation of one of the surgical team. We will follow up with the exact date in the near future.

We are still in need of a few people to pick up the team at the airport. Usually the need is greatest on the Wednesday night before the surgeries and the early a.m. the day of the surgeries. Let me know if you can help out.

We have some additions to our medical wish list they are:

Spanish videos on nutrition, healthcare, cleanliness and dental hygiene. Demo sets for dental hygiene i.e. a reproduction of a set of teeth or posters of teeth and finally, a TV/VCR combo for teaching.

AGAIN I WANT TO EXPRESS MY SINCERE THANKS TO ALL WHO PARTICIPATED.

Dr. Alberto Mora, Patricia Méndez and Cleft Palate Patient, Beatriz Madrid Valdovinos

We’ve got a great speaker lined up for March. Norma Schuh, of Eden Prairie, MN resides in Vallarta most winters and the IFC has the privilege of having Norma present for us on Wednesday, March 19^th at 7:00 p.m. at the IFC clubhouse. Her topic of discussion is titled “Growing Older is Not For Sissies.” Norma has a Master’s in Human Development from St. Mary’s University, MN with a concentration on the aging process. Norma has developed “Midlife Celebration;” inspirational and motivational workshops for those in midlife with a passion for living. Her programs teach us how to embrace aging with enthusiasm and acceptance and break away from the self-doubt, frustrations, and depression that often accompany aging. This is sure to be an inspiring presentation and well worth the trip back into town for another function at the IFC. Community members, friends and guests of members are invited to attend Norma’s presentation. Norma is presenting to us free of charge, and a collection will be taken for our Patrocinio program so that we may help more children/adults of the needy community which have been brought to our attention. This program has quickly grown beyond our 2002/2003 budget.

Read Norma’s description of her presentation for us below:

With every passing birthday, whether our ninth or ninetieth, we are all aging. Embracing the changes that each life passage brings is often a challenge, whether it’s the raging hormones of adolescence or the pull of gravity at “middlessence.” But each moment in time is a special gift worthy of acknowledgement and gratitude. In an engaging & upbeat presentation, Norma Schuh, creator of “Celebration Circles^© for women will relate the signals of midlife transition, offer a variety of possible responses to growing older, share some proven strategies for vibrant aging, point out some of the many positives of becoming a SAG (Savvy Ageless God/Goddess) and offer a variety of role models, whose approach to life in the second half is truly inspirational. “Change is inevitable,” Norma observes, “but growth is optional.”