Beyond the Walls of the Hospital: Connecting to the Virgen del Socorro Facility

Travel outside of the bright amarilla walls of Obras Sociales del Santo Hermano Pedro, bumble down the cobblestone streets toward Santa María Jesús, and just outside of Antigua, and you will find Virgen del Socorro (VDS). 

Located in a repurposed colonial national hospital, the facility was updated to deliver care for special residents, primarily those with multiple disabilities such as cerebral palsy, psychomotor impairment, and similar conditions. In Guatemala, it is not uncommon for those with these conditions to be abandoned by their families. As such, VDS is a place where those with nowhere to turn can go. 

A sister hospital to Obras, VDS helps to provide care for those who are not served by the public or private health care facilities in the country. 

Each year, Operation Walk Pittsburgh invites its Travel Team members to VDS so that they can understand the bigger picture of what Obras Sociales does, and how important the support from donors is to continue caring for those who need it most.