A Healing Trip to Honduras

American babies born with a cleft lip typically have surgery within three months of birth, says Miriam Lynn, president of the school nurses unit for the Nyack (N.Y.) Teachers Association. But on a recent volunteer trip to Honduras, where Lynn was a recovery nurse helping with plastic surgeries, she saw children who have waited years to be treated for cleft conditions.

In her job as school nurse in the Rockland County district, Lynn is used to caring for many students every day. During a week in Honduras, Lynn cared for 57 patients who had surgical procedures. She was among a team of 19 plastic surgeons and nurses from the Westchester, N.Y., area volunteering with Healing the Children Northeast.

The medical team repaired holes in the palates and abnormal openings in the middle of the upper lip. Burn victims also were treated, most of them injured from candles used for lights and cooking over fires. Some people walked seven hours to the hospital in San Pedro Sula for the surgery, many of them coming from the mountainous area surrounding the city. About 40 children had to be turned away before the week ran out.

On this journey, Lynn brought along toys and supplies provided by the Nyack Middle School PTA. She also brought dolls, jewelry and bubble soap (good therapy for patients recovering from mouth surgery), and 28 soccer balls, which members of her son’s football team sat on to deflate so she could get them aboard the plane.

Volunteers raised money for the trip, including their flight, hotel, the hospital cost of surgery for one child and supplies. Lynn used personal days and holiday time to make the trip, and her fellow teachers donated money.

“We bring all our own supplies,” says Lynn. When it’s time to go, the volunteers empty their bags. “We leave everything: our socks, everything,” she says. “They have nothing.”

Although Lynn’s crew went back to Honduras in March, she stayed home.

“I’m the only nurse for 700 kids” in the school district, she says. She will return in November, when another trip is scheduled and she can use holiday time.

For more information on Healing the Children Northeast, check out www.htcne.org .

Adapted from an article by Liza Frenette that appeared in the Feb. 15, 2007, issue of New York Teacher.

AFT Urges Support of Employee Free Choice Act in Senate

In late March, Sen. Edward Kennedy(D-Mass.) introduced the Employee Free Choice Act (EFCA) in the U.S. Senate, after the House had already passed its version of the bill, 241-185. The bill would amend national labor laws for private sector employees by: 1) strengthening penalties against companies that break the law when employees try to form unions; 2) establishing me-diation and arbitration when a first contract can’t be reached; and 3) enabling employees to form unions when a majority signs union authorization cards.

“With [the] introduction of the Employee Free Choice Act (EFCA) in the U.S. Senate, millions of working Americans are a step closer to achieving fair wages, fair treatment and a voice on the job,” AFT president Edward J. McElroy said. “The U.S. House of Representatives helped pave the way for this historic legislation when it passed EFCA earlier this month with strong bipartisan support. We look forward to a similar outcome in the Senate.

“Many AFT members in the private sector, including nurses and other healthcare professionals, have faced massive employer resistance and multimillion-dollar, union-busting campaigns when they try to form a union and reach a first contract. EFCA would put an end to this kind of abuse and ensure that employees are able to exercise their right to form a union free from employer coercion and retaliation.

“All workers, not just those in the private sector, have a stake in this critical legislation. Fundamentally, EFCA is about strengthening and expanding America’s middle class. The bill recognizes that employees have a basic right to bargain for a better life, including fair wages, adequate healthcare and secure pensions.”

Aspire to Retire? Plan for Fun Beyond R&R

By the time you retire, you probably already will have taken care of your finances and health coverage. But other ingredients of your retirement also require attention. The latest recipe for success, according to the Wall Street Journal: Treat retirement more like a vocation than a vacation. Here are some ideas to help you start planning:

No matter how infuriating or boring your job may seem now, it probably gives you more than a paycheck. Your work and union involvement structure your day; let you influence others, win praise and make friends; and build your sense of purpose and identity. You may think of retirement as well-deserved rest and relaxation, but once rested, then what?

Questions to ask yourself:

What am I passionate about? Lots of people put their passions to sleep early in life as personal commitments take over. Take a class or workshop to rediscover your interests, or volunteer with your union’s retiree chapter.

What is my purpose? It’s not just about what you like to do. Planning activities may be something you’re good at, but planning or participating in union activities will give you a mission.

How will I stay sharp? After your workday structure disappears, you’ll need to make more effort to keep moving, see friends and stimulate your brain. By really engaging with your union’s re-tiree chapter, you can socialize, and give back to your colleagues and the community.

Adapted from “Off Your Rocker: For a Happy Retirement, Don’t Swap Work for the Front Porch,” by Jonathan Clements, the Wall Street Journal.