Donating through this website is simple, fast and totally secure. It is also the most efficient way to support my fundraising efforts.
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Matthew Terrence Ensor the First made a great point with his comment: 
"Our "problems" are Burrito Boy messing up our order or missing a TV show. Others have real problems."

-The disaster in Haiti really brings some of these things to light.  It's another wake up call for us all!  There are people out there that need more help than we can even imagine.  They go without BASIC needs that we so often take for granted.   Basic healthcare is hard to find in much of the Oaxacan state.  This isn't fair, but it's reality.  The best way many of us priviledged Americans can help is by either getting actively involved and volunteering our time, or reaching into our pockets and offering financial support to those that ARE able to volunteer their time and work to help those who need it!  So read on and hopefully you will see the good this will do, and adopt it as your own cause...

In April I will be heading south to Oaxaca, Mexico on an 8 week volunteer medical service trip.  The first 4 weeks will be spent in Oaxaca, THE poorest state in Mexico.  Many of its inhabitants, especially those from the indiginous population, lack basic healthcare services.  I will learn a lot about the healthcare system in Mexico and work in both rural and urban clinics. 

The second 4 weeks will be in the state of Oaxaca as well, but in the coastal town of Puerto Escondido--focusing more on tropical medicine.  I will learn about and see common tropical diseases such as Malaria, and help those with little to no access to basic healthcare services. 

Some interesting facts:

• A large percentage of Mexico's rural population lacks resources for health care. For specialized care, most patients must take an 8 hour bus ride from the coast
• Due to conditions of rural life, health services require patterns of delivery quite different from those in cities. Most problems arise from the dispersion of the population and the difficulties of transportation
• Oaxacan Secretary of Health statistics show that 75% of maternal-infant death and illness in Oaxaca occurs among the rural indigenous population

CFHI is a non-profit organization that only uses 4.8% of all donations for operating expenses.  In fact, CFHI has consistently been awarded the highest rating (4 stars) given to charities for high efficiency and low overhead.  Less than 3% of charities are able to achieve this.  So clearly, your donations are going to a charity that puts money into action!   Your donations help compensate the doctors, homestay families and local CFHI representatives for their work providing the CFHI experience. This important "share" in the profits allows these communities to offer more and better healthcare services.  Our contributions are meant to be an additional source of support for communities that have limited financial resources or access to healthcare.Your donations will not only support me, but it will help the underserved communities that CFHI is involved in.  

This opportunity will be life-changing and will better prepare me to become the best clinician I can be.  One of my goals is to practice medicine with the underserved while utilizing my spanish, and this experience will provide a great foundation to make those goals achievable.

I honestly appreciate everyones support and strongly urge you to consider making a tax-deductable donation--regardless of how much.  Whether its 1 or 100 dollars, I really do appreciate your financial support.  Every little bit helps!   Even if you are only in position to support me through prayer--I am just as thankful for that! 

You can contact me at kbesaw@gmail.com if you have any questions, comments, advice--anything!

Don't forget to forward this to anyone who you think might want to donate or offer their support!

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I'd like to also awknowledge those who donated to me 'offline'.  This is another option for anyone that would prefer not to do it through this site.  Checks can be made out to CFHI !

Thank you to the following peeps!...

Uncle Charlie: $60.00
Aaron and Mikaela: $50.00
Grandma and Grandpa Besaw: $100
Sue Wassom: $100
Julie Hintz: $101
Cindy and Dennis Dixon: $100
Cheryl Burr: $20