About the researcher
Hi. Thank-you for taking a few minutes to visit this website. I hope you will consider becoming involved in this research.
My name is Sharon McLennan, and I am a PhD candidate in Development Studies at Massey University in Palmerston North, New Zealand. This research will form the basis of a thesis for my PhD.
My background is in nursing, I am a Registered Comprehensive Nurse IN NZ, and have experience in Internal Medicine and Occupational Health, as a Clinical Trial Coordinator and as a Primary Health Care Nurse. I have also been a volunteer on Mercy Ships, on the MV Island Mercy and MV Caribbean Mercy (sadly, both have since been decommissioned).
My experience on Mercy Ships and travels in the “developing’ world sparked my interest in International Development, and on my return to NZ in 2001 I enrolled in post-graduate study at the Institute of Development Studies at Massey University, study which eventually led to a Masters degree- and now a PhD in Development Studies. As part of the Masters degree I competed a thesis on the role of Medical Missions in health care in Honduras.
I am married to Luis, a Honduran; and we have a 3-year old daughter, Maya.
In 1779 the founder of Children’s HeartLink, an NGO dedicated to the prevention and treatment of heart iease in children, was asked to help set up a cardiac surgery program at Hospital Escuela in Tegucigalpa. For approximately the next 20 years Children’s HeartLink worked with the team at Hospital Escuela to enhance their programs. This effort included on and off site training, patient treatment support, donated equipment and supplies, and consulting/technical assistance in many areas. However, after all this assistance, Children’s HeartLink made the difficult decision to withdraw due to continued lack of resources, poor leadership, the political environment, and lack of focus.
Children’s HeartLink now in its 39th year works in nine countries and thirteen sites.
Obviously I meant 1979
Thanks for commenting John. Sad to hear you had to withdraw, as a nurse I am very aware of the huge need for help such as this. How long ago did you withdraw? Were you aware of or part of projecthonduras.com at that time?