I'm returning with a small team to the remote mountain communities outside Huaraz, Peru, to provide oral health education and supplies to children and families with limited access to dental care. This project is grounded in respect—for the people, their traditions, and the mountains that surround them. We’re committed to sustainability, protecting the land and the beauty that inspires it. ❤️

Our Story

The first time I traveled to Huaraz and the surrounding mountains, I didn’t just see a new place—I was welcomed into a way of life shaped by the land and the people who call it home. The warmth, the culture, and the rhythm of life in these communities left a mark that has stayed with me. Even as a young girl who didn’t know the place or the people, I was invited into homes, shared meals, and adventures that made me feel like part of their world.

During that trip, I came for a medical and dental mission. As we traveled to rural villages, I saw how far some families were from even basic healthcare. Many children had never had a cleaning, and oral hygiene products were considered luxuries they could not afford. Yet every visit was met with gratitude and generosity. Families opened their homes and shared their mountains with me. I delayed my flight five times, drawn to the chance to keep learning, exploring, and connecting. Those final weeks weren’t about medicine anymore—they were about people, understanding, and the quiet power of shared humanity.

Over the months since, conversations with Dr. Rafael Pais, an anesthesiologist from Huaraz, have deepened my understanding of healthcare in these remote communities. His wife, Dr. Delicia Amez de Pais, a dentist, will join our team this trip to help guide the project. While I cannot provide clinical care, I can share knowledge and distribute supplies that give families the tools to care for themselves. Prevention is the next best solution—it protects health, preserves dignity, and prevents unnecessary pain.

At its heart, this project is simple. It’s about helping ensure that every family—no matter where they are born—has access to the knowledge and materials needed to care for themselves. It’s also about listening closely to these communities, whose generosity continues to redefine what it means to care for one another. My hope is that through understanding and shared experience, this work can evolve in ways that honor their needs and the spirit of the mountains that sustain them.

This summer, we will bring donated materials to schools in Macashca, Lloclla, Pashpa, and Chavín. I will lead interactive lessons on oral hygiene, teaching children how to brush and floss in ways that are engaging and easy to remember. We’ll distribute toothbrushes, toothpaste, floss, and educational books in both Spanish and Quechua, the Indigenous language of the region, to ensure that education is accessible and honors local culture and tradition.

Beto Pinto, President of the Mountain Guide Association of Peru, is coordinating with local communities, and Drs. Delicia and Rafael Hurtado will help ensure the project is carried out responsibly.

This work isn’t about one person or one trip—it’s about community. Every donation directly supports the project, covering the shipping of supplies and materials, and will also sustain future initiatives to continue this work. I’ll be in Peru for other activities beyond this project—exploring and reconnecting with the people and places that have shaped my journey—but all of that is self-funded. Your support ensures that the focus of this trip, and the impact we make together, reaches those who need it most.

This project is about more than oral health. It’s about cherishing the children and families I’ve come to know and protecting the communities and culture that are so special. Every moment of connection honors the people and the land that welcomed me so completely. What began as a personal journey has become a mission—to preserve health, celebrate culture, and empower families to care for themselves.