Community Presbyterain Church of Clewiston, FL

The Nicaraguan Medical Mission was started by Alice Blandford, ARNP a Nicaragua native.  She immigrated to the United States with her family in 1979, leaving the civil war behind.   In Nicaragua she was fortunate to receive her nursing education at Thaeler Memorial School of Nursing which was built and funded by American Missionaries.

After coming to the US she decided to go back to school and become a Nurse Practitioner.  She continued her work here in the US but never forgot her home and countrymen.   Twenty years later, after much convincing, she returned for a visit.  The country had changed a lot during those twenty years, but the need for basic healthcare had grown tremendously.  That visit started a fire in her and a desire to help.  The hospital and nursing school where she studied and worked no longer existed; it had been destroyed during the war.

Alice decided to use her 30+ years of nursing, her leadership skills, as well as the knowledge gained during her presidency of the Nicaraguan American Nurses Association (NANA), and her ties to her church to help guide her in finding the way to bring help to her people.

In July of 2009, Alice formed the first group of 17 volunteers, which was made up of family, friends and co-workers.  Two were doctors, one nurse practitioner, 14 nurses and other volunteers.  She also used her connections with friends and social workers back in Nicaragua to find the areas that needed the most help.  That first group built the foundation and tradition, of camaraderie and healing through faith and medicine.

Various fundraisers happen throughout the year to help raise funds for needed medications, supplies, and transportation to the work areas.   Over the years, the group of volunteers has grown from 17 to an average of 55 volunteers including doctors, nurses and Sunday School teachers that provide lessons for Vacation Bible School for an average of 600 children. 

 Youth volunteers under the leadership of adult volunteers have been slowly refurbishing and painting different rooms and wards at the only Children’s Cancer Hospital in Nicaragua.  In addition to volunteers from the US, we are seeing more and more Nicaraguan volunteers joining in the efforts.   These volunteers consist of doctors, nurses and dentists, as well as support personnel.  This allows us to see an average of 1400 patients per year and give them medications they so desperately need.

Without the help and support of church and local communities, the Nicaragua Medical Mission would not have made it this far.  We ask for your donations to help us continue this mission to help other in need.