Hospital Expansion Offers New Hope for Children Like 7-Year-Old Dilan in Guatemala

Food For The Poor-Supported Center Adds 24 Pediatric Beds

COCONUT CREEK, Fla. (Sep. 1, 2026) — Seven-year-old Dilan can run, play and learn today without lasting effects from a brain injury that once threatened his future, thanks to the specialized care he received at Juan Pablo II Mother and Child Hospital in Guatemala.

Now, the hospital that helped Dilan recover is preparing to help even more children. Food For The Poor (FFTP), Cáritas Arquidiocesana and local health leaders will inaugurate a major expansion of Juan Pablo II on Wednesday, Sept. 2, opening a new environmentally sustainable pediatric outpatient and diagnostic center designed to expand access to specialized care for children and families across Guatemala.

The new three-story center will expand pediatric outpatient clinics and diagnostic laboratories and add a 24-bed pediatric post-treatment observation unit, increasing the hospital’s pediatric bed capacity from 68 to 92. The additional capacity will allow the hospital to care for more pediatric and neonatal patients, reduce waits for hospitalization and decrease the need to refer children elsewhere.

“We have been waiting for the move for about 18 months,” said Dr. Rosaura Mazariegos, head pediatrician. “We started by thinking about how many clinics we were going to have and dreaming about new specialists and doctors joining us to provide care alongside our team.”

Wednesday’s inauguration ceremony will bring together project partners, healthcare leaders, government representatives and community members to mark the expansion.

─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
INAUGURATION CEREMONY

Juan Pablo II Mother and Child Hospital

Date: Wednesday, Sept. 2, 2026
Time: 10 a.m.
Location: Cáritas Archdiocesan Headquarters
12 Calle 1-96, Zone 3
El Rosario, Mixco, Guatemala
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For children like Dilan, having access to that specialized care can change the course of a life.

Dilan suffered a traumatic brain injury when he fell while playing and was referred to Juan Pablo II for a specialized medical evaluation. Diagnostic studies revealed a skull lesion requiring highly specialized care. A multidisciplinary team of specialists in pediatrics, psychology, pediatric surgery and neurosurgery evaluated him and developed a treatment plan.

Dilan received timely medical and surgical care as well as support for his physical and emotional well-being throughout his treatment. Today, he has recovered without lasting effects and can play, learn and spend time with other children just like any other 7-year-old.

For his mother, Aura, seeing her son healthy again has brought both gratitude and hope for his future.

“Thank you very much for all the attention, love and affection that you have shown my son,” Aura said. “He knows what he wants. He says he has dreams and goals and, God willing, he will achieve them. Truly, I have no words to thank you for everything you have done.”

Sara Sywulka, FFTP’s Executive Vice President and Chief Operations Officer who is based in Guatemala, said the expanded hospital represents hope for children like Dilan and thousands of other families who depend on access to quality healthcare,

“Behind every new hospital bed, every piece of medical equipment and every expanded service is a child whose future can be changed because the right care is available at the right time,” Sywulka said. “Seeing this vision become reality is a testament to what long-term partnerships can accomplish for children and families across Guatemala.”

The need for expanded care is significant. Owned and operated by Cáritas since 1985, Juan Pablo II recorded 78,128 inpatient and outpatient services, including 28,332 outpatient pediatric consultations, 10,718 pediatric emergency room visits and more than 7,000 pediatric subspecialty consultations. Another 16,501 consultations were delivered through community outreach, bringing its total reach to more than 94,000 visits in 2025.

The hospital also plays an important role in Guatemala’s broader public health network, receiving approximately 160 to 175 referrals each month from national, regional and district public hospitals for children requiring specialized pediatric care, diagnostic studies and multidisciplinary treatment.

This year, Juan Pablo II added 14 specialists and support professionals, expanding its multidisciplinary team from 43 to 57 professionals and further strengthening its capacity to diagnose, treat and provide follow-up care for children and adolescents.

Mazariegos said that growth already is translating into additional specialized services. The hospital now has a pediatric endocrinology unit and has increased its endocrinologists from one to three. It also has added a rheumatology specialist and doubled the number of gastrointestinal specialists from one to two.

“We are going to have an expansion of our clinics, and personally, I have the expectation that we will continue dignifying healthcare every day, so that every mother and every child who comes here feels not only comfortable with their doctor, but also comfortable in the physical space,” Mazariegos said. “These clinics need to be filled with quality, warmth, kindness and professionalism.”

Dilan is part of FFTP’s Angels Of Hope child sponsorship program, which provides support in nutrition, education, healthcare and other areas to vulnerable children and adolescents living in children’s homes. Coordination among the program, his caregivers and Juan Pablo II’s medical team helped ensure that he received the specialized treatment he needed.

The expansion is the latest milestone in a longstanding effort to strengthen the hospital while making its operations more environmentally sustainable.

Since 2015, FFTP has secured eight grants on behalf of the hospital to support construction of a wastewater treatment plant, installation of a hospital-wide solar power system, development of the new green building, and procurement of energy-efficient appliances and state-of-the-art medical equipment.

Designed as a climate-responsible healthcare facility, the new building incorporates energy-efficient systems, natural daylighting and ventilation, high-efficiency water systems and sustainable construction practices. It also is engineered for Guatemala’s high seismic activity and incorporates locally sourced materials and low-maintenance construction.

For Mazariegos, those features are part of the hospital’s broader responsibility to the community it serves.

“It is wonderful to think that part of our work, and part of what Cáritas does behind the scenes, is also to care about the sustainability of our country, not only through responsible use of water and electricity, but by promoting the idea of becoming a green hospital,” Mazariegos said.

The hospital’s solar power system now generates a net-metering surplus of approximately 40 percent, helping reduce operating expenses and supporting the hospital’s ability to provide affordable care.

With greater inpatient capacity, expanded outpatient and diagnostic services and a growing team of specialists, Juan Pablo II is positioned to strengthen its role as a national referral center for pediatric and adolescent care, and provide more children like Dilan with the opportunity for a healthy future.

About Food For The Poor

Food For The Poor, one of the largest international relief and development organizations in the United States, is committed to facilitating paths out of poverty and transforming lives. As an interdenominational Christian ministry, we help families across Latin America and the Caribbean. Our efforts span urgent humanitarian relief and long-term development – from emergency aid and hunger alleviation to education, housing, and economic empowerment. We follow a distinctive approach that integrates faith, multi-sector strategies, and trusted partnerships. Whenever possible, we strive to work at the community level, partnering with local leaders and residents to co-create sustainable solutions that address the multi-dimensional nature of poverty. For more information, please visit foodforthepoor.org.

Michael Turnbell
Communications
954-471-0928
[email protected]