Improving Health in Sololá, Guatemala, Through Innovative Cooking Methods1
IMPROVING HEALTH IN SOLOLÁ, GUATEMALA, THROUGH INNOVATIVE COOKING METHODS1
APPENDIX D
LETTER FROM DOCTOR LAURENCE SMITH
LAURENCE R. SMITH, M.D.
October 26, 2016
Dear Friends,
I am a family physician that is employed with Intermountain Healthcare in Utah. I have also been
involved with a volunteer humanitarian mission called “Love In Ac%on” for the last 3 years. This
organiza%on is headquartered in Cha-anooga, Tennessee and operated by Miriam Lemon, a na%ve of
Guatemala City originally. She works in healthcare with an internal medicine prac%ce in Tennessee and
also directs volunteer missions to Guatemala and Peru.
I have been a volunteer for the Guatemala mission each of the last 3 years. We are able to give free care
to the na%ve people of Solola, Guatemala which is in the Lake A4tlan mountainous area. I am now
involved in leading the medical por%on of the mission which includes medical, dental and surgical
specialists. We are able to evaluate and treat 700 to 1000 pa%ents in the 2 weeks that we occupy a clinic
in Solola.
Emily Borgstrom is 8uent in Spanish and has served as a translator for me in working with the pa%ents in
Guatemala. Her skills are invaluable in being able to communicate with the pa%ents and their families so
that we are able to make accurate diagnoses and plan appropriate treatments for their condi%ons. She
has connected with the humble, beau%ful people of the region and is anxious to con%nue to :nd ways to
improve their lives.
Many of the people in this area su;er from chronic lung disease (COPD) which is due to pollu%on caused
by cooking over open :res, both inside and outside of their homes. Many of these dwellings do not have
electricity or plumbing and employment op%ons are severely limited for the average worker. Most of the
families are primarily dependent on their own e;orts in farming and gardening.
Emily is a university student and has been able to make contact with a company that manufactures solar
ovens. These simple, but e;ec%ve appliances are easy to use and e>cient in cooking meals that are
adequate for families in even the most remote areas of the world. Sunlight is abundant in Guatemala
and provides a constant supply of power. This is a small gi? that can con%nue to bless the lives of these
families for years, not only simplifying meal prepara%on, but overcoming the need to cook in poorly
ven%lated spaces. Improving the health of the fathers, mothers and children is our mission,
Thank you for your interest in our e;orts to assist the beau%ful people of Guatemala.
Laurence Smith
LAURENCE R. SMITH, M.D.
October 26, 2016
Dear Friends,
I am a family physician that is employed with Intermountain Healthcare in Utah. I have also been
involved with a volunteer humanitarian mission called “Love In Ac%on” for the last 3 years. This
organiza%on is headquartered in Cha-anooga, Tennessee and operated by Miriam Lemon, a na%ve of
Guatemala City originally. She works in healthcare with an internal medicine prac%ce in Tennessee and
also directs volunteer missions to Guatemala and Peru.
I have been a volunteer for the Guatemala mission each of the last 3 years. We are able to give free care
to the na%ve people of Solola, Guatemala which is in the Lake A4tlan mountainous area. I am now
involved in leading the medical por%on of the mission which includes medical, dental and surgical
specialists. We are able to evaluate and treat 700 to 1000 pa%ents in the 2 weeks that we occupy a clinic
in Solola.
Emily Borgstrom is 8uent in Spanish and has served as a translator for me in working with the pa%ents in
Guatemala. Her skills are invaluable in being able to communicate with the pa%ents and their families so
that we are able to make accurate diagnoses and plan appropriate treatments for their condi%ons. She
has connected with the humble, beau%ful people of the region and is anxious to con%nue to :nd ways to
improve their lives.
Many of the people in this area su;er from chronic lung disease (COPD) which is due to pollu%on caused
by cooking over open :res, both inside and outside of their homes. Many of these dwellings do not have
electricity or plumbing and employment op%ons are severely limited for the average worker. Most of the
families are primarily dependent on their own e;orts in farming and gardening.
Emily is a university student and has been able to make contact with a company that manufactures solar
ovens. These simple, but e;ec%ve appliances are easy to use and e>cient in cooking meals that are
adequate for families in even the most remote areas of the world. Sunlight is abundant in Guatemala
and provides a constant supply of power. This is a small gi? that can con%nue to bless the lives of these
families for years, not only simplifying meal prepara%on, but overcoming the need to cook in poorly
ven%lated spaces. Improving the health of the fathers, mothers and children is our mission,
Thank you for your interest in our e;orts to assist the beau%ful people of Guatemala.
Laurence Smith
LAURENCE R. SMITH, M.D.
October 26, 2016
Dear Friends,
I am a family physician that is employed with Intermountain Healthcare in Utah. I have also been
involved with a volunteer humanitarian mission called “Love In Ac%on” for the last 3 years. This
organiza%on is headquartered in Cha-anooga, Tennessee and operated by Miriam Lemon, a na%ve of
Guatemala City originally. She works in healthcare with an internal medicine prac%ce in Tennessee and
also directs volunteer missions to Guatemala and Peru.
I have been a volunteer for the Guatemala mission each of the last 3 years. We are able to give free care
to the na%ve people of Solola, Guatemala which is in the Lake A4tlan mountainous area. I am now
involved in leading the medical por%on of the mission which includes medical, dental and surgical
specialists. We are able to evaluate and treat 700 to 1000 pa%ents in the 2 weeks that we occupy a clinic
in Solola.
Emily Borgstrom is 8uent in Spanish and has served as a translator for me in working with the pa%ents in
Guatemala. Her skills are invaluable in being able to communicate with the pa%ents and their families so
that we are able to make accurate diagnoses and plan appropriate treatments for their condi%ons. She
has connected with the humble, beau%ful people of the region and is anxious to con%nue to :nd ways to
improve their lives.
Many of the people in this area su;er from chronic lung disease (COPD) which is due to pollu%on caused
by cooking over open :res, both inside and outside of their homes. Many of these dwellings do not have
electricity or plumbing and employment op%ons are severely limited for the average worker. Most of the
families are primarily dependent on their own e;orts in farming and gardening.
Emily is a university student and has been able to make contact with a company that manufactures solar
ovens. These simple, but e;ec%ve appliances are easy to use and e>cient in cooking meals that are
adequate for families in even the most remote areas of the world. Sunlight is abundant in Guatemala
and provides a constant supply of power. This is a small gi? that can con%nue to bless the lives of these
families for years, not only simplifying meal prepara%on, but overcoming the need to cook in poorly
ven%lated spaces. Improving the health of the fathers, mothers and children is our mission,
Thank you for your interest in our e;orts to assist the beau%ful people of Guatemala.
Laurence Smith
LAURENCE R. SMITH, M.D.
October 26, 2016
Dear Friends,
I am a family physician that is employed with Intermountain Healthcare in Utah. I have also been involved with a volunteer humanitarian mission called “Love In Action” for the last 3 years. This organization is headquartered in Chattanooga, Tennessee and operated by Miriam Lemon, a native of Guatemala City originally. She works in healthcare with an internal medicine practice in Tennessee and also directs volunteer missions to Guatemala and Peru.
I have been a volunteer for the Guatemala mission each of the last 3 years. We are able to give free care to the native people of Sololá, Guatemala which is in the Lake Atitlan mountainous area. I am now involved in leading the medical portion of the mission which includes medical, dental and surgical specialists. We are able to evaluate and treat 700 to 1000 patients in the 2 weeks that we occupy a clinic in Sololá.
Emily Borgstrom is fluent in Spanish and has served as a translator for me in working with the patents in Guatemala. Her skills are invaluable in being able to communicate with the patents and their families so that we are able to make accurate diagnoses and plan appropriate treatments for their conditions. She has connected with the humble, beautiful people of the region and is anxious to continue to find ways to improve their lives.
Many of the people in this area suffer from chronic lung disease (COPD) which is due to pollution caused by cooking over open fires, both inside and outside of their homes. Many of these dwellings do not haveelectricity or plumbing and employment options are severely limited for the average worker. Most of the families are primarily dependent on their own efforts in farming and gardening.
Emily is a university student and has been able to make contact with a company that manufactures solar ovens. These simple, but effective appliances are easy to use and efficient in cooking meals that are adequate for families in even the most remote areas of the world. Sunlight is abundant in Guatemala and provides a constant supply of power. This is a small gift that can continue to bless the lives of these families for years, not only simplifying meal preparation, but overcoming the need to cook in poorly ventilated spaces. Improving the health of the fathers, mothers and children is our mission, Thank you for your interest in our efforts to assist the beautiful people of Guatemala.
Laurence Smith