Fundraising!...Give with the PayPal Donate Button to the right of the blog

Dear Supporters,

            Imagine trying to provide for your family, protect your home, and care for yourself on less than a dollar a day when you are sick, abused by your spouse, and have no access to proper health care.  Well, for the people of Nicaragua, this situation is a common reality.  As the second poorest country in the Western Hemisphere (only after Haiti), the health needs of Nicaragua are countless.  This past May, I graduated from nursing school at Texas Christian University with a particular interest in international public health and health education. In pursuit of these interests, I will be moving to Nicaragua to volunteer alongside Nicaraguans as a school nurse and an on-site project liaison for US organizations.

             Even more so than in the United States, schools are a focal point for the communities of Nicaragua. As a school nurse, I will have the opportunity to be involved with entire communities by addressing health concerns of both parents and students. I will conduct general health education classes for grades K-12, as well as provide basic health care alongside a Nicaraguan doctor. Another part of my role will be identifying children in need of advanced medical care and matching them with a doctor who can provide them with the medical care they need. Student by student, and family by family, the health of entire communities can be improved.

            In addition to working as a school nurse, I will be volunteering for a campaign for women’s health issues in Nicaragua. This campaign, which I have been involved in since 2008, intends to provide comprehensive care for Nicaraguan women with cervical cancer and other life-threatening conditions. Cervical cancer, which is preventable and curable with early detection, is the #1 cause of death for Nicaraguan women under the age of 60. I will be hosting nurse education sessions that will improve the clinical skills and nursing practices of the local nurses, which will in turn benefit patients and their families. Currently, there is only 1 nurse for every 3,000 people in Nicaragua, compared to 1 nurse for every 25 people here in the United States. On top of this shortage, the Nicaraguan nurses are inadequately trained, often reporting that they do not have enough hands-on training to properly treat people. I will work for the campaign to empower the nurses in Nicaragua and promote women’s health screening and treatment.

            Nicaragua has been a special place to me ever since my first visit there in the Spring of 2009.  At that time I was learning about women’s health in nursing school and was able to apply the clinical skills in the labor and delivery unit of a Nicaraguan hospital. Needless to say the maternity ward in this developing country was quite different than anything I had experienced in the USA. Twelve women were all going through labor in the same room without interventions to control their pain and without the amenities of modern hospitals. The environment was unique and challenging. I was eager to put my Spanish-speaking abilities and newly acquired women’s health nursing skills to work.  One woman, Marta Susanna, and I made a special connection.  We were both 20 years old at the time, and I helped her throughout the entire  labor and delivery process by coaching her breathing, holding her hand through the pain, addressing and listening to her concerns, teaching her how to breast feed and assisting the medical resident in delivering her beautiful healthy baby girl into the world.  Then, after Marta was rolled out into the hall to wait for her baby, as is common in Nicaraguan hospitals, I helped to celebrate the birth and motherhood that was now part of her life. Marta Susanna appreciated my support, nursing skills, and companionship so much that she decided to name the baby after me! I have never felt so proud and honored.  The first and only person I have ever met with my own name I had just delivered into the world and was admiring and holding in my arms (picture of the Two Aylas included).  I have been praying for that family every day and haven’t been able to get Nicaragua off my mind since. 

            Consequently, I’ve been back to Nicaragua two additional times since that first trip, getting even more involved with women’s health and empowerment through volunteering and networking programs.  It is truly amazing what people can do with a vision, collaboration, determination and a heart to serve. I am excited and blessed to have this opportunity to go work as a public health nurse and serve in a place that I love so much.

            Since my work in Nicaragua will not be a paid position, I must raise the necessary funds required to live there.  You can support me, and ultimately help the people of Nicaragua, with a monetary donation.  I need to raise $4,500 by mid- January to help cover work expenses, food, housing, local transportation, communication, travel insurance, flight expenses and other necessary costs associated with this cause. A donation of $200 will pay for housing for a month, a donation of $550 would pay for a flight to Nicaragua, and general work supplies, weekly groceries, laundry, travel insurance, and other expenses will cost approximately $75 per month. 
            I appreciate your support with this endeavor which is bound to yield improved health for many Nicaraguan families and personal growth for me. Please use the PayPal Donate button on the top right of the blog to give the monetary donation of whatever amount you feel appropriate. If you would feel more comfortable sending a check by mail, please contact me at ayla.landry@gmail.com for further instructions.  I look forward to keeping you updated about this adventure through this blog. Similarly, if you have any questions, concerns, or encouragement to pass along I would love to hear from each of you at ayla.landry@gmail.com. Please keep Nicaragua and my future in your thoughts and prayers. Again, thank you for your generosity and for taking the time to consider my cause. Have a lovely day!

With Love,

Miss Ayla Landry, BSN, RN

"I can do things you cannot, you can do things I cannot; together we can do great things."

~Mother Teresa

Nicaragua Bound!!!

Hi Everyone,
This posts marks the beginning of my Nicaraguan journey! So before we begin, here is the back story. I grew up with a loving family who taught me to dream big and facilitated my imagination. My parents have often said that I keep their lives interesting and looking back I can see why. I was always dressing-up and pretending to be everything from queen of the universe to the homeless person on the corner we saw yesterday. I have always been fascinated by people of different cultures and walks of life. Because of that interest and imagination, I have grown to posses a great deal of empathy for my fellow citizens of the world.

Now, as a young adult that same incessant interest in people, fervent passion to serve others, and ability to dream has brought me to the profession of international nursing.  I have known I wanted to do international nursing for a few years now and God has led me to Nicaragua. I cannot get the country and people I have met there out of my mind. I believe everyone has the ability to positively impact their circle of influence and with my Spanish-speaking abilities and skills in nursing I fully intend to somehow expand my circle of influence and positively impact the health care outcomes of the developing world.

So come along with me and stay in touch as I prepare to leave and move to Nicaragua in early 2011 and feel free to donate by mailing a check or using the PayPal Donate Button at the top right of this blog :)