I created Medicinebleu as a means to work independently as a photographer and to tell the stories of others. Remarkably, over the past few years—especially since my work in Asia—I have seen Medicinebleu morph into an outlet for humanitarian efforts. In the next year, I have been afforded the opportunity to participate in even more projects that combine photography work with relief projects.
During the first part of the new year, I will be working in Belize with Nantahala Outdoor Center to coordinate a series of adventure photography workshops. In the downtime, NOC Adventure Travel ambassador Jono Bryant and I will refurbish a dilapidated clinic in the rural village of Laguna, then continue to the border of Guatemala, conducting health outreach programs in smaller rural villages.
We've set up a website to raise funds for building supplies and medical kits to be purchased in country in Belize. The site is http://www.firstgiving.com/belizeclinic . I am asking all my friends and supporters of Medicinebleu to give at least $5. It is all tax deductible through medicforce.org . A simple $5 from everyone in the Medicinebleu community could create a blanket of support to a rural Mayan village that needs a clean, sanitary clinic where a visiting doctor can use a legitimate facility to conduct routine checkups, instead of expecting local churches and schools to pull double duty.
We are gathering a team of volunteers from all over the world. We are working on the clinic Feburary 1-6th 2010, and the following week we move close to the border of Guatemala to administer health checkups. I will be creating a multi-media project on the Laguna Village and the people affected by the rural healthcare initiative. Take a moment and pass this website on to your friends. You all know by now that the only way I work is to go directly to the source and be involved. Please see what you all can do.
http://www.firstgiving.com/belizeclinic
-Pat McDonnell
www.medicinebleufilms.com
