Brian’s story began at age eight, when a high fever left him with severe mobility issues. His family turned to Global Healthworks Foundation as a last resort—and found care, community, and hope.

With consistent treatment and support, Brian regained his strength, confidence, and purpose. Eleven years later, he’s a trained GHF health promoter and now a nursing student—delivering the same care he once received. His journey captures the heart of GHF’s mission: Be Well. Know More.

Sebastiana Pol Suy is unlike any other. A gifted medicine woman, Sebastiana serves from the heart, however she can, to help heal her local community and the global community. Alongside Guatemalan and North American Global Healthworks Foundation (GHF) team members, she works to create the most uplifting and empowering treatment experience possible for each patient she meets. We are honored to have her as part of our team.

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Kelley Boyd is a licensed massage therapist who has volunteered on two medical missions with Global Healthworks Foundation. With a gentle and loving spirit, Kelley creates a sense of comfort and calm with each patient who lies on her table. It has been an absolute pleasure to have her on our GHF practitioner team.

Spencer Krueger is an energetic registered massage therapist who has volunteered on many medical outreach missions with Global Healthcare Foundation since 2014.  She combines her skills in athletic training and manual therapy to provide high quality treatments to people in need.  It has been a pleasure having her join our GHF practitioner team.

Julie Ing Stern has been doing medical outreach work for more than ten years – in  Indonesia, Nepal and now Guatemala.  She is a Super-Star and one the most dependable practitioners on our GHF team!  A combination of humor and professionalism characterize Julie’s contact with patients.

What Teresa Wlasiuk brings to the table during each and every treatment is invaluable – she is an inspiration for other Chinese medicine practitioners!  Even though she already has quite a set of tools that she brings to bear in every treatment, she is continuing her doctorate studies in order to expand her reach with patients on an even deeper level.  We are glad to have her high level of dedication on our GHF practitioner team!

Gastón Olsen is one of the most skilled practitioners we know.  When you meet him, what is most evident is that he exudes enormous positive energy!  He is passionate about his work and we are excited that he’s made a commitment to continue his outreach work with GHF.

With a great mixture of treatment and organization skills, our good friend Norva Bennett has been a great asset to GHF’s outreach work in Guatemala.  She is a dependable alumni volunteer with six trips under her belt – and her greatest strength is her ability to exist in the moment with her patients. 

GHF’s local team of interpreters play a huge role in the success of our medical outreach work in Guatemala.  They do a fantastic job translating four languages: English, Spanish and two of the indigenous Mayan dialects – K'iche' and Ixil.  They are a true asset to their communities, and we are incredibly grateful for all they do for our outreach teams and the Guatemalan people.

It has been GREAT having Felipa López join GHF on a few of our medical outreach trips.  Of course, it helps that she is fluent in Spanish and a great practitioner – but Felipa’s real strength comes from her ability to connect with the patients easily and make them feel comfortable and cared for.  We are so lucky to have her! 

A participant of NYC SALT—a nonprofit organization that seeks to engage, inspire, and empower New York City teens by providing them with professional-grade visual communication skills— Danny Martinez received a travel scholarship to photograph one of Global Healthworks Foundation’s medical mission in Quiché, Guatemala.  In addition to photographing the Foundation’s health practitioners and those receiving treatment, Danny participated in a variety of activities, helping with a women’s self-defense class, teaching others about photography, and playing with the local children. As evident from his daily reflections, the trip impacted him on both a professional and deeply personal level.

The healthworks of Maruca, Rosa, and Magdalena epitomizes GHF’s efforts to train local health promoters to be fully integrated team members both within our GHF community and in their own communities.  The three long-time friends from Sacapulas perform essential clinic functions: Reiki energy healing, auricular acupuncture, massage, and moxibustion heat therapy; and they are a great example for our other promoters.  We are extremely grateful that these community leaders continue to be part of our GHF team.

Kevin Menard’s passion for health and wellbeing, along with his generous drive to do medical outreach work, is evident the minute you meet him!  His multi-modality treatment approach fits perfectly with the GHF healthcare delivery model, so we are very glad he has joined the GHF team! Thanks Kevin for all your GREAT work! Read all about Kevin’s story with Global Healthworks Foundation below.

Chris O'Connor is a teacher of contemporary acupuncture at McMaster University in Hamilton, Canada.  Whether with patients or students, his relationships are warm, caring and compassionate.  He has a great combination of acupuncture and manual therapy skills, and he has been a great, dependable asset to GHF’s volunteer practitioner team.

Kristen Pawlick is an energetic practitioner who has volunteered on many medical outreach missions with Global Healthcare Foundation since 2013.  She combines her skills in athletic training, manual therapy, and acupuncture to provide high quality treatments to people in need.  It has been a pleasure having her join our GHF practitioner team.

One of the most popular activities of the Global Healthworks Foundation outreach clinics is the chair yoga class we call ‘movimientos de sanación’ (healing body movements) .  It is provided to all our patients – young and old – as preparation for a full, multi-modality treatment that each patient receives from the volunteer practitioners.  These fun classes, which include basic yoga, qigong and stretching movements, were specifically designed to encourage patients to practice at-home exercises daily.

Bernadette Martin volunteered on a couple of medical outreach missions with Global Healthworks Foundation – primarily to provide Reiki treatments and Level I and II Reiki classes for the Foundation’s health promoters.  But once we knew her background, we were fortunate enough to have her also educate the locals about organic gardening, nutrition, farmer’s markets, and composting.  Of course, she excels at everything – so she’s a “keeper”!