In a moving farewell ceremony, Dr. Omar Calderon shared that this was his second mission in the “Land of the Quetzal.”

He noted that he had first served in challenging communities and later—prior to his departure—worked as part of the “Operacion Milagro” team (dedicated to treating eye conditions); while the services differed, the patient remained the same: poor and in need, yet grateful.

“We received people from across the nation and even from abroad; sometimes they would sleep outside the center. We averaged over 2,500 surgeries a year—between 16 and 18 daily,” he highlighted in statements to Prensa Latina.

“It was a wonderful experience. We performed surgeries for 10 to 12 cataracts and seven or eight pterygiums [growths on the eye], in addition to eyelid procedures,” he remarked.

“At the end, there were patients who came to thank us and burst into tears. Both the community and hospital care [we provided] will leave such a huge void that even we are feeling it already,” Calderon stated.

The hospital director—an orthopedic surgeon familiar with Cuba’s history who founded the center 17 years ago and remains there—also teared up, expressed.

“I was deeply moved by the Guatemalan culture; they do not lose the purity of their roots. They are very polite, noble, and humble, and getting to know them allows us to care for them better.”

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