The Mazatlan Messenger
Hospice Mazatlán is currently attending to 17 patients in the municipality.
Thanks to the hard work of our staff, Board of Directors, and volunteers our recent grant writing efforts were very successful, allowing us to expand our professional staff, add services and assist more clients. Here’s where we are three quarters of the way through the year:
Current Patients: 17 (15 Mexican, 2 U.S.)
Total Patients Year to Date: 62
Nursing visits: 701
Bereavement visits: 38
Social worker visits: 45
Medical visits: 39
These numbers reflect a dramatic increase in the number of patients in service. The normal census was 8-12 patients at a time, yet in September we reached 17. We attribute this growth to word-of-mouth from past patients, interviews on local radio stations and in local newspapers, presentations to local hospitals and business groups and referrals from interested Mexican organizations such as the Felton Foundation, Coparmex and Canacintra. We are grateful for the work done by our staff and supporters that made this growth possible.
Hospice Mazatlán is proud to introduce our new psychologist, Alejandra Kelly Valdez. Valdez is returning to her hometown of Mazatlán after working for the University of Guadalajara from 1994 to July, 2011. She has numerous post-graduate diplomas, making her highly qualified for this position. Besides her clinical work in private practice in Guadalajara for 11 years, she was also an instructor in Gestalt therapy for adults, children and adolescents. The Board of Directors of Hospice Mazatlán happily gives a big “welcome” to Ms. Valdez, who has a new office inside the Hospice building where she can see clients in privacy. Director Lois Croly adds, “We are looking at culturally sensitive ways to offer bereavement counseling, as people here, as in other places, tend to say, ‘I’m not so crazy that I need to go to a psychologist.’”
Our Outreach Efforts:
Outreach to the Professional Community
In June, Director Lois Croly, Medical Director Dr. Levid Torres, Board member Patti Fletcher, Administrator Adriana Carillo Paredes and Volunteer Alicia Vasqúez went to Guadalajara to register Hospice Mazatlán as a founding member of AMCPA, the Mexican Association of Palliative Care and Pain Specialty. AMCPA is the new professional association of organizations providing hospice care in Mexico. Membership in this national group will facilitate exchange of ideas, practices and resources with other professionals offering care for the dying and assistance to their families. Ongoing membership requires serving a minimum of 50 patients a year, not a difficult goal for us, as we’d already served 45 by the end of July. Director Croly is confident our patient numbers will grow—she often meets doctors and others new to Hospice who already know about its work, saying things like “you took care of my aunt,” and “the nurses were helpful.” She sees these comments as evidence that “little by little we are becoming part of the community.”
Outreach to the Business Community
Volunteer David Croly followed through on contacts made earlier in the year to wrangle Hospice presentation time at one of the weekly “Café Industrial” meetings sponsored by Canacintra, the Cámara Nacional de la Industria de Transformación. Canacintra is a well-respected national trade group promoting industrial development with branches throughout Mexico. Prominent local business leaders heard the presentation, including Cancintra President Rodolfo Madero and his staff, Marcos Provencio from Grupo Rice and the Ernesto Felton group of three. Minutes from the meeting were sent to all Canacintra members. Croly felt certain “the summary will introduce us favorably to the group.” In addition, Marcos Provencio offered to follow up and continue advocating for Hospice Mazatlán. Recently, Hospice representatives were invited to make a presentation at CANACO and received an excellent response from many prominent attendees.
Our Fundraising Activities
Grant writing
We received our first grant monies this past July enabling us to buy the equipment required for anticipated growth, including new hospital beds, oxygen machines, commodes, dietary supplements and hygiene materials. These supplies will ensure our patients have what they need to make life more comfortable. Director Lois Croly was excited about the new grant. “We will have the equipment to serve more patients, and for the first time we will be able to partially compensate Dr. Torres for his long term commitment to Hospice. We also have monies to pay for psychologist visits. Special kudos to Adriana Carillo Paredes who successfully researched, wrote, and then submitted four demanding grant applications.
August brought the annual inspection from JAP, the Junta de Asistencia Privada. This government organization monitors all the IAP-affiliated nonprofits in the state of Sinaloa. Its job is to make sure nonprofits stay on mission and spend their monies responsibly. August also brought an inspection by the state-level Institute of Social Development (Instituto Sinaloense de Desarollo Social), SEDESOL. Administrator Adriana Carillo Paredes met with the visitors and provided SEDESOL with photos of the new equipment purchased with their grant monies.
To accept grant funds Hospice is required to form an oversight committee (Comité de Vigilancia) composed of three people who use our services, two Hospice staff and Director Croly. The committee will meet three times during the grant period–our initial meeting in September, then one in October and again at the end of the year. SEDESOL visitors Licenciada Lourdes Toalá Bojórquez, Dorinda Allende Rosales, Georgina Sanchez Heredia and Sylvia Casas came to the meeting in September.
The national-level SEDESOL organization also visited last summer. Hospice did not receive a grant from them this year, but they are looking at us for next year. The grant season starts in February, 2012 and we’re working to make a good impression.
The Golf Tournament
The fifth annual golf tournament at Estrella del Mar is scheduled for January 14, 2012. Be sure and mark this important event on your calendar. The tournament features a shotgun start, best ball format. Registration includes a breakfast, supper and day of festivities for golfers. Above all, Hospice golf tournaments are known for their fun! Prizes are awarded for best scores by category, including straightest drive, longest drive, longest putt, and more. Plus there are always several hole-in-one opportunities, including a chance to win a new car. Be sure to get your tickets early as the tournament fills every year, and availability is “first come, first served.”
Representatives for the Golf Tournament this year are David Croly at 982-5472 and Terry Topf at 176-6364. Jennifer Woodman and Michael Hall at Social Cafe Lounge in front of Hotel Costa de Oro are helping register golfers in the Golden Zone. You can reach them at 176-7144. In El Centro, long time Hospice supporters, Glenn and Sharon Sorrie at Macaw’s Restaurant and Casa del Leyendas B & B are also registering golfers. Reach them at 981-6180.
Hearts for Hospice Dinner Dance
Another important date for your calendar–the third annual Hearts for Hospice dinner dance is scheduled for Saturday, February 25, 2012, at the Casa Club of El Cid. This festive, dress up gala is a sellout every year. Attendees are treated to drinks and a delicious meal, followed by homemade cupcakes baked by our volunteers. Live music throughout the evening prompts even the most reluctant onto the dance floor. Raffle and silent auction opportunities help raise additional money. If you’re lucky you’ll take home one of the many offered art objects, themed gift packages, or certificates for goods and services. As always, there will be a few hearts (it’s near Valentine’s Day after all!) decorated by local artists available, too.
In addition to these two major fundraising events we plan to solicit support from the local business community via regular donations of some kind. We are also working on a “Designated Giving Plan” via automatic contributions from the bank accounts of dedicated supporters.
Casa Nika Bazaar
Thanks to Sally Ross, beginning November 1, Hospice Mazatlán shares proceeds of sales at Casa Nika Bazaar with Proyecto Animales del la Calle (PAC). Please consider this fine fundraising thrift shop as the spot for donations of your unneeded household goods and clothing.
To reach the Centro shop, go north or south along the Malecón, turn right or left on Guillermo Nelson, go four blocks, then turn left on Luis Zúñiga (at the Pacifio deposito). The address is Luis Zúñiga #505 (Centro). You can contact the good people there at casanikabazaar@yahoo.com or 044-669-912-0884 to check present open hours or arrange for pick-up service.
Bits and Pieces
Vehicle
As we enter our fourth year serving Mazatlán we critically need a reliable vehicle. Nurses available in the local area seldom have their own transportation. Our former nurse, who had her own car, resigned due to a family emergency in the States. We must now hire and train two nurses and provide a vehicle for them to share. Ideally the vehicle should be ten to fifteen years old, reliable and with a suspension high enough to negotiate the back roads of Mazatlán. A small pickup truck with air conditioning is ideal, but any vehicle will be helpful. Routine maintenance is expected but we cannot afford major repairs.
Cash donations toward purchase of a used vehicle can also help. Whether you donate a vehicle or cash, U.S. or Mexican tax deductible receipts are available. If you can help, please contact Lois Croly at 982-5472 or cell 044-669-5441 or email at hospicemazatlan@yahoo.com
Website
Our new website – designed by Pat Espinoza and Jon Morrow – is up and running. We appreciate their dedication to helping Hospice with this important project. Take a look!! www.hospicemazatlan.org We think it’s quite eye catching!
Our Thanks
Again deserving of special recognition is our administrator, Adriana Carillo Paredes, who worked countless extra hours preparing grant applications. Our success in securing grants is largely due to her.
Board member Patti Fletcher also put special effort into the grant application process. We appreciate her continuing dedication to Hospice and its projects.
Ongoing Support
Our biggest challenge remains obtaining funding for providing hospice services. Our patient demographic is lower- to middle-class Mexican nationals, already financially devastated dealing with a terminal illness in this down economy. They are able to pay little for Hospice services. Unlike in the States and Canada, there is no insurance coverage or Medicare reimbursement for Hospice care. Hospice Mazatlán must depend on fundraising and donations to assist those who cannot pay for services. Our donors and volunteers give selflessly. We are fortunate to have such wonderful people working with us and for us. Your support is vital to the ongoing availability of hospice services in Mazatlán.
Local donations can be made at the office or by visiting our website at www.hospicemazatlan.org and using the PayPal button. No donation is too small.
If you or someone you know wants to learn more about hospice services in Mazatlán, or if you wish to volunteer, please contact Lois Croly, R.N., at lcroly@gmail.com or 044-669-162-5441, or Board Member Patti Fletcher at pattifletcher@gmail.com, or call the office at 182-1486 and speak with administrator Adriana Carillo Paredes (who speaks Spanish and is learning English)
Again, we thank you all for your support and good wishes.
Hospice Mazatlan IAP
Calle San Antonio 33B esq. Cerro San Antonio
Fracc. Lomas de Mazatlan (Rear of Walfre Real Estate, across from
Polimedica)
Mazatlan, Sinaloa, Mexico
Telephone: 182-1486
Web Page: www.hospicemazatlan.org
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