Mary Welch introduced her daughter, Bria James, who is a neo-natal nurse at Children’s Hospital, and our speakers – Meg Dornfeld and Terri Teagarden. In February, the 3 joined another nurse and travelled to Tecpan, Guatemala to provide basic newborn resuscitation skills instruction to 38 village midwives and nursing practitioners. Their two-day classes also focused on other neo-natal care procedures and gave away backpacks with equipment and supplies critical to decreasing infant mortality. Overcoming rural environments, translation challenges (English, Spanish and Kaqchikel), and logistics, Terri and Meg have been managing this project since 2008, using personal funds and vacation days to affect the lives of hundreds of Guatemalan families. They have pieced together support and funding from many organizations, including Guatemala Rotary clubs, to focus on “The Golden Minute” in which babies must take their first breath. The project needs funding and translators to sustain this amazing effort.
What can you do to help?
• Tell people about Baby’s Breath Project.
• If you know of anyone who speaks Spanish fluently, perhaps they would like to be one of our translators.
• Help with the purchase of equipment –
100 Penguin Suction Bulbs $ 300
100 Backpacks $ 300
100 Ambu bag and masks $ 1500
• Sponsor in-country transportation of teams $ 1200
• Help with the costs for our Spanish to Kaqchikel translators.
• Make a donation for in-country lodging and meals for volunteers.
Baby’s Breath Project contact:
3920 Monterey Avenue
St. Louis Park, MN 55416
Meg Dornfeld, 952-922-4135; Terri Teagarden, 715-441-1589
Photo left to right: Meg, Bria, Terri.
