¡Hola de Panamá!

We started off our Tuesday in Santiago by visiting the babies at Nutre Hogar. It's always a great start to the morning to see their smiling faces! Arriving at 8 o'clock, we played games with them, listened to children's music, held and carried them, and of course, endlessly enjoyed seeing them laugh and smile.

After returning home for a delicious Panamanian lunch, we ventured out into the streets of Santiago to visit a cancer treatment center, referred to in Panamá as the ANCEC - Asociación Nacional Contra el Cancer. Although still under construction, the inside of the building was incredibly bright and open, with great views of nearby Santiago. It has a conference room which can be rented out for other uses, and rooms that are in the process of becoming examination rooms, and even a beauty salon. We learned that the entire building was built using donations from the community - no government funding needed. Today was a great way to see the city, and also to experience how generous and giving Panamanians are. For example, the beauty salon located inside of the center will eventually be serviced by beauticians from around Santiago, who will volunteer their time to take shifts and do patients hair, nails and makeup. We also had the opportunity to learn how up to date Panamá's processes in the medical field are. This center, in particular, is in the process of creating an art therapy room in order to soothe patients and have them in the right mindset to successfully receive treatment.

We then went to Cheesecake, and eventually returned home to spend the evening with our wonderful host families!

Natalia resting with a baby at Nutre Hogar

ANSEC room with projects by patients and children

One of the doctors volunteering at ANCEC