by Nouf Bazaz

Over six months ago, an article drew attention to a lack of sheets and baby blankets at Santa Barbara’s Hospital. In the wake of this press, the hospital received an enormous number of donated baby blankets. However, after Silvia contacted the director of the hospital, we learned that the hospital still lacked sheets and laboring women had to lie on brown paper while delivering. Barbara Escalante, a former medical social worker in Arizona, now living part-time in Honduras, had the wonderful idea to ask local Honduran resort, Palma Real Hotel and Villas, if they could donate the badly needed bed sheets to the Santa Barbara Hospital. After Dar a Luz wrote a letter to Hotel administration, we received a generous donation of 150 white sheets!
Later this month, Silvia and several volunteers will head to Santa Barbara to hand deliver the bed sheets and use the opportunity to conduct a workshop with Hospital staff. Dar a Luz will also post will give visual education materials in hospital waiting rooms, in the health care center and in the hogar materno so pregnant women and their families can learn more about pregnancy and birth. Special thanks to Barbara Escalante and Palma Real Hotel and Villas Manager, Alejandro Luna!