Operation footprint offers club foot surgeries...

I am a volunteer for an NGO called “Healing the Children”. I founded and continue to help a medical brigade that visits Honduras once a year to operate on club feet. These are some of last year’s 50+ patients. The doctors arrive at the San Felipe hospital in Tegucigalpa on January 26 and will perform surgeries until February 2. This medical brigade from Operation Footprint will consist of 16 surgeons who have been operating on about 50 children per year at the San Felipe for the past eight years. The children are from some of the more remote and poorest regions in Honduras. Club feet occur in newborns at the same rate in all countries, 1:1000 live births. But countries like the United States correct them immediately. There are hundreds of uncorrected club feet children in Honduras today since the deformity was not corrected during the first year of their life. These children are destined to walk with great difficulty throughout their lives and suffer many social problems and strain on the rest of their body.

I am a former Peace Corps volunteer in Honduras (1998-2000). Normally, I work through Peace Corps volunteers to find these crippled children. Since the organization is suspending its presence in Honduras, many children in need are not going to be served. I am hopeful that, through Honduras Weekly, sources in Honduras can be notified of this incredible opportunity to help. I will arrive in Honduras on January 16 and live with a family in Santa Lucia, just outside of Tegucigalpa. This will be my 15th year. You can reach me there at 779-0082. That is the home of Maribel García, who is my counterpart in Honduras. Maribel can explain everything if I am not there. Please leave return phone numbers and I will contact you. Or you can e-mail me at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it . Thanks so much on behalf of these children.

Sandy Shultz
Sandy in Honduras
Newbury Park, California