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Hands, Cups, and Surfboards: Shannon Gilmartin’s Diverse, Yet Effective Healing Modalities

Hands, Cups, and Surfboards: Shannon Gilmartin’s Diverse, Yet Effective Healing Modalities

In October 2015, Shannon Gilmartin helped introduce suction cupping therapy to our GHF health promoters in Quiché, Guatemala – and they simply LOVE using this special treatment modality!  Besides being an excellent practitioner and educator, Shannon is incredibly kind and compassionate; And she has one of the biggest and most giving hearts!  We are so glad she has joined our GHF team!

Talented, Kind, and Empowering: Terése Wunderlich Shares Her Range of Talents to Better the Lives of Others

Talented, Kind, and Empowering: Terése Wunderlich Shares Her Range of Talents to Better the Lives of Others

Terése Wunderlich shares her array of talents in a way that provides balance and consistency to the GHF jornada team. Whether she’s teaching self-defense to women, practicing yoga with the elderly, or giving belly massages to children, her generous and fun-loving heart brings laughter and joy to both patients and fellow volunteers alike.

Christiane Mauro’s Ability to Communicate and Connect with Patients in Any Language

Christiane Mauro’s Ability to Communicate and Connect with Patients in Any Language

Christiane Mauro has joined GHF on many medical outreach trips — and she always goes above and beyond to provide incredible treatments to her patients, especially women with complicated women’s health issues. Treating with excellence, efficiency, and boundless energy, Christiane has become a fundamental part of the GHF team.  We are so glad to have her!

A Man of Few Words, But Lots of Heart, Juan “Juanito” Ramírez Dedicates Himself to Helping the People of Guatemala

A Man of Few Words, But Lots of Heart, Juan “Juanito” Ramírez Dedicates Himself to Helping the People of Guatemala

Juanito Ramírez is one of our favorite people in Quiché— he has been helping the GHF team with logistics and Spanish-K’iche’ Mayan interpretation since our first jornada (medical mission).  He’s incredibly dependable, hard-working and his affable nature puts all people at ease, ensuring that our volunteer clinicians are able to provide the best treatment possible and patients are open to receiving it.

Teachers Teaching Teachers: The Journey to Reiki Master

Teachers Teaching Teachers: The Journey to Reiki Master

Mila Brener is one of our favorite people!  If you know Mila, you know she has a passion for teaching Reiki energy healing.  She has been instrumental in bringing Reiki to Quiché, where Global Healthworks Foundation practitioners use acupuncture treatments and Reiki simultaneously during our biannual jornadas (medical missions) and weekly mobile clinics.  GHF has trained more than fifty health promoters to use Reiki as a healing method to develop nonviolent domestic environments in their communities.

Modeling Kindness and Compassion: Peter Panken’s Reflective Perspective on Acupuncture

Modeling Kindness and Compassion:  Peter Panken’s Reflective Perspective on Acupuncture

Peter Panken has been treating some of New York City’s most vulnerable populations for nearly twenty years and has volunteered on numerous GHF medical missions in both the United States and Guatemala since 2008.  Peter always figures out a compassionate way to connect to people and help them identify small ways to alleviate their struggles.  He is one of our all-time favorite people!

More Than Just Logistics: Kelly Call Raises the Bar and Takes Care of Business

More Than Just Logistics:  Kelly Call Raises the Bar and Takes Care of Business

Kelly Call is GHF’s “Logistician Extraordinaire”.  She has been doing medical outreach across the globe — from Wyoming to Indonesia, Nepal, and currently in Guatemala.  She is an incredibly organized woman and a great problem-solver that helps our healthcare delivery model work like a well-oiled machine!  We are blessed to call her our friend! 

Sharing Zumba with Quiché’s Most Enthusiastic Ancianitos

Sharing Zumba with Quiché’s Most Enthusiastic Ancianitos

Liz Getman has been a part of our Global Healthworks Foundation team since 2014. In addition to documenting our work and writing stories about our volunteers, staff, and patients, she is also a fitness instructor and Zumba® enthusiast. A highlight of our jornadas is Liz's modified Zumba® class, which she offers to one of our favorite elderly groups in Quiché.

De Paciente a Promotor: El Camino de Sanación, Crecimiento y Retribución de Brian

De Paciente a Promotor: El Camino de Sanación, Crecimiento y Retribución de Brian

La historia de Brian comenzó a los ocho años, cuando una fiebre alta le provocó graves problemas de movilidad. Su familia recurrió a la Fundación Global Healthworks (GHF) como último recurso y encontró atención, comunidad y esperanza.

Con tratamiento y apoyo constantes, Brian recuperó su fuerza, confianza y propósito. Once años después, es promotor de salud de GHF y ahora estudiante de enfermería, proveyendo la misma atención que antes recibía. Su trayectoria refleja la esencia de la misión de GHF: Bien Estar. Saber Más.

My Volunteer Experience in Quiché, Guatemala


My Volunteer Experience in Quiché, Guatemala


Cheryl Davies spent a month volunteering her healthcare services in Guatemala – an experiences she describes as a “life changer”.  The people of Guatemala have touched her heart deeply, and her experience in Quiché has encouraged her to continue her outreach efforts wherever and whenever she can.  Thanks Cheryl for all you have done to support our healthworks! 

Asociación de GHF con la Guía Espiritual Maya Sebastiana Pol Suy

 Asociación de GHF con la Guía Espiritual Maya Sebastiana Pol Suy

Sebastiana Pol Suy es diferente a cualquier otra persona. Es una talentosa sanadora, Sebastiana sirve desde el corazón, y ella puede ayudar de muchas maneras a sanar a su comunidad local y a la comunidad global. Junto con los miembros del equipo de Global Healthworks Foundation (GHF) de Guatemala y Norteamérica, ella trabaja para crear la experiencia de tratamiento más estimulante y empoderadora posible para que cada paciente pueda conocerla. Nos sentimos honrados de tenerla como parte de nuestro equipo.

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El amor de Ángel Solís por la acupuntura y el impulso para ayudar a sanar a su comunidad

El amor de Ángel Solís por la acupuntura y el impulso para ayudar a sanar a su comunidad

Ángel Solís comenzó a trabajar con Global Healthworks Foundation (GHF) en 2015. Como piloto del bus hasta un Coordinador de la Clínica Móvil. Ángel se ha convertido en uno de los miembros más confiables del equipo de GHF. Actualmente está estudiando acupuntura con la esperanza de expandir la atención médica integral a más comunidades en un futuro cercano.

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Greg Radicone’s Gratitude for Guatemala and His Global Healthworks Foundation Team

Greg Radicone’s Gratitude for Guatemala and His Global Healthworks Foundation Team

This week is the one-year anniversary of Greg Radicone embarking on a new role as the Central American Program Manager for GHF in Quiché, Guatemala. He has done a tremendous job integrating some new team members and increasing the outreach capacity of our local mobile clinic there.  Under Greg’s watch, our weekly mobile clinic team has provided integrated healthcare services to more than five thousand patients in underserved communities! 

Administrating with a Heart for the People: Luciano Laynez’s Commitment to His Native Quiché

Administrating with a Heart for the People: Luciano Laynez’s Commitment to His Native Quiché

For the past four years, Luciano Laynez has done a tremendous amount of work behind the scenes organizing all the local logistics for our medical missions in Guatemala. Luciano is like a quiet machine – he just gets things done!  More importantly, he has such a great heart.  His compassion for the indigenous people we serve comes across in all aspects of his work.  Thanks, amigo, for all you have done to support our outreach efforts! 

Two Boys, One Foundation: GHF Increases Mobility of Brian and Abner Juan

Two Boys, One Foundation: GHF Increases Mobility of Brian and Abner Juan

Brian and Abner Juan are two of our favorite young visitors to Global Healthworks Foundation outreach clinics in Quiché, Guatemala.  Both were originally experiencing limb pain that interfered with their schoolwork and playtime activities.  One of GHF’s key treatment strategies for children is to teach their parents simple exercises and healing techniques (e.g., massage and moxibustion heat therapy) so that they can continue treating their children at home. 

Creating Safe Spaces: Peter Caron’s Gentle Approach to Treatment

Creating Safe Spaces: Peter Caron’s Gentle Approach to Treatment

Peter Caron was instrumental in launching GHF’s weekly mobile clinic program to provide much needed healthcare to indigenous communities throughout the district of Quiché, Guatemala.  During the 18-month period in which he served as GHF’s Central America Program Manager, our mobile clinic team provided comprehensive treatments to nearly 10,000 patients. 

Quiché-Based Health Promoters Play Essential Role in Providing Integrative Healthcare

Quiché-Based Health Promoters Play Essential Role in Providing Integrative Healthcare

Global Healthworks Foundation thinks beyond delivering healthcare services to communities in need – we plan for the sustainability of our programs. We train local health promoters and involve youth and young adults in all aspects of our Quiché-based services to ensure the prolonged impact of our work. Read about how GHF health promoters have become respected healthcare practitioners in their communities.