Valentine bake sale funds medical missions

MT. PLEASANT— A medical missions organization founded by Mt. Pleasant surgical staff bake Valentine goodies to funds for their next medical missions trip to Honduras.

According to the Facebook fundraiser page, Operation Hope Medical Missions send a medical team to Honduras for a week to provide surgical care to low income families each year.

Donations from their current Valentine Bake Sale will go towards surgical supplies, medications, and shipping expenses for this trip.

The Mt. Pleasant surgical team, with the help of other local surgical nurses, will bake the Valentine’s treats.

Those interested in the treats and supporting the cause can order via the Facebook event, Online Valentine’s Bake Sale for Operation Hope Medical Missions, or through email to operationhopemm@yahoo.com

The fundraiser will accept orders until Feb. 8.

The team will offer order pick-ups at the Henry County Health Center parking lot Saturday, Feb. 11.

Order options include snack mix (no nuts- packaged in a 5×11 bag) or one dozen peanut butter blossoms for $8, a half-dozen red velvet cupcakes with buttercream frosting for $12, and one dozen Oreo balls for $10.

The team will only use peanuts/peanut butter in the peanut butter blossoms; however, they will bake everything in the same kitchen.

Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist Matt Miller from Henry County Health Center started Operation Hope Medical Missions with his wife.

The organization’s board members consist of other surgical nurses at HCHC Glo Fear, Erika Duvall, and Elsie Swanson.

“Matt has gone numerous times and the rest of us have gone at least once,” Swanson said. “We recruit a team of surgeons and surgical staff from across the United States to go on a week-long trip to Honduras each year where we offer free medical and surgical care to those with limited or no Healthcare services.”

The team’s 2023 trip is planned for April.

During a week-long trip in April 2022, the Operation Hope Medical Mission completed 133 general surgeries over five days.

According to a post about the 2022 trip, the team also saw patients in a dental clinic.

“I became a nurse because I wanted to help people and being able to go help those with extremely limited access to surgical care is such an amazing experience,” Swanson said of her experience. “Seeing the smiles and happiness from people who have waited years to get the medical care they needed is what it's all about. They are truly grateful and we are blessed to be able to do what we can to help them.”

Comments: AnnaMarie.Ward@southeastiowaunion.com