Medical Mission-Barillas, Guatemala
In April 2015, a group of dermatologists and surgeons will be traveling to the remote Guatemalan village of Yulmacap, Barillas to offer reparative services to children suffering from Xeroderma Pigmentosum (XP). 
Xeroderma pigmentosum, or XP, is an autosomal recessive genetic disorder of DNA repair in which the ability to repair damage caused by UV light is deficient. All exposure to sunlight must be completely avoided, no matter how small; as such, individuals with the disease are often colloquially referred to as Children of the Night. If not protected, multiple basal cell carcinomas and other skin malignancies frequently occur at a very young age in those with XP. In fact, metastatic malignant melanoma and squamous cell carcinoma are two of the common causes of death in XP victims.
Although this disease is rare, with an incidence in the US of 1 in 250,000, the town of Barillas, Guatemala suffers from an incidence of 1 in 4, with most of these children not living beyond the age of 10.
This is a unique opportunity for me to serve with a team that has an ongoing relationship with this suffering community. I look forward to showing love to these little ones either by providing surgical care to remove painful tumors, or by simply giving love and a human touch, shining a light into the lives of those who must be constantly shielded from it.
